Dementia & cognitive health
An AI blood test may help identify four dementia-linked brain diseases with 92.3 per cent accuracy, researchers say. Many people living with dementia never receive an accurate diagnosis, partly because Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and related conditions can be hard to tell apart and often occur together. The tool is designed to distinguish Alzheimer's disease, [...]
New blood tests and brain scans could spot Alzheimer's years before symptoms appear, researchers say. The findings suggest signs of the disease could be picked up earlier, raising the prospect of earlier diagnosis and treatment for thousands of patients. Experts said the results were encouraging, but cautioned that more research is needed before the approaches [...]
A blood test could detect Alzheimer's decades before symptoms appear, a study suggests. Researchers said the findings show Alzheimer's may be present in midlife and already linked to cognitive differences. While more research is needed, experts said using blood tests to pinpoint changes in the brain earlier could be incredibly valuable. The researchers said: "These [...]
Common reflux drugs may raise dementia risk if taken for several years, new research suggests. Scientists found that long-term use of proton pump inhibitors, or PPIs, was linked to a 33 per cent increased risk of dementia. However, experts said the study does not prove the drugs directly cause the condition, only that a link [...]
Gene therapy may help protect the brain from damage and cognitive decline linked to Alzheimer's disease and ALS, an early study suggests. The approach targets TDP-43, a harmful protein that plays a major role in frontotemporal dementia, a form of dementia that can affect behaviour and language, and is also found in many people with [...]
Long hours spent caring may speed cognitive decline in middle-aged and older people, new research suggests. Researchers found that providing care for 50 hours or more a week was linked to faster decline in memory and thinking skills. However, lighter caring duties of five to nine hours a week appeared to support brain health, with [...]
An ultra-sensitive test could improve dementia diagnosis by detecting protein clumps linked to rarer forms of cognitive decline. The test targets abnormal clumps of TDP-43, a protein linked to a subtype of frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Frontotemporal lobar degeneration, or FTLD, is a group of brain disorders that can affect behaviour, emotions, language and planning. Investigators [...]
An at-home test could spot Alzheimer’s risk early by combining an online brain assessment with a finger-prick blood test, a study suggests. The test looks for blood markers linked to the disease and includes online checks of abilities linked to memory, attention and decision making. Researchers said the approach could help identify people who may [...]
Regular egg intake was linked to lower Alzheimer’s risk in older adults, with one study suggesting the reduction could reach 27 per cent. The research tracked nearly 40,000 adults aged over 65 and found that those who ate eggs more often were less likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Compared with never eating eggs, [...]
UK Alzheimer’s patients are missing out on experimental treatments because diagnoses come too late or are not accurate enough, a charity has warned. Alzheimer’s drug trials reached a record high this year, according to data published on Tuesday, but too few UK patients are taking part because diagnoses are delayed or not specific enough. The [...]
