Test detects memory problems linked to Alzheimer’s long before typical diagnosis, raising possibility of earlier drug intervention
A three-minute brainwave test can detect memory problems linked to Alzheimer’s disease long before people are typically diagnosed, raising hopes that the approach could help identify those most likely to benefit from new drugs for the condition.
In a small trial, the test flagged specific memory issues in people with mild cognitive impairment, highlighting who was at greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Trials in larger groups are under way.
The Fastball test is a form of electroencephalogram (EEG) that uses small sensors on the scalp to record the brain’s electrical activity while people watch a stream of images on a screen. The test detects memory problems by analysing the brain’s automatic responses to images the person sees before the test.
“This shows us that our new passive measure of memory, which we’ve built specifically for Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis, can be sensitive to those individuals at very high risk but who are not yet diagnosed,” said Dr George Stothart, a cognitive neuroscientist at the University of Bath, where the test was developed.
