The conclusions of a study conducted by Canadian researchers and published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, provide a promising lead for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers from the University of Montreal conducted a study with 45 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 20 healthy controls. The latter were followed for 2 years, during which they underwent cognitive tests and underwent an MRI two years later.
This MRI, combined with some memory problems detectable by tests, shows specific changes in brain activity unique to people with Alzheimer’s disease and can predict, with an accuracy of 87.5% according to the researchers, the future development of the disease.
“We found a reduction in the average thickness of the cortex in patients who then developed dementia and also noted the thinning of an area of the brain associated with rational thought and decision-making” explain the researchers who specify that Alzheimer’s disease could be announced two years before the appearance of the first cognitive symptoms.
Predicting Alzheimer’s disease early is a real health issue because the Western world is facing a real epidemic with, to date, 44 million people in the world suffering from a significant loss of their cognitive abilities. These results are very encouraging, but given the small sample of patients who participated in the study, larger studies will have to be conducted to confirm this promising lead.
