2023-08-24 14:30:00
Could Alzheimer’s disease soon be diagnosed early while sleeping? In any case, this is what researchers from the University of Colorado and Washington University in St. Louis (United States) hope, who have developed a innovative method to detect Alzheimer’s markers.
The study, published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia on August 23, 2023 was conducted among 205 healthy septagenarians (source 1). Their brain activity, in particular “the waves linked to the memorization process”, explains Dr. Marion Lévy, head of studies and research at the Vaincre Alzheimer Foundation, was measured for 2 years using a headband worn on the head. Upon awakening, the data from the device was collected, and it was therefore possible to see if the EEG (electroencephalogram) was normal or not.
This information was then compared to biological markers this time Alzheimer’s disease, such as ß-amyloid and tau protein levels, in excess in people who suffer from this neurodegenerative disease. “What we found was that these abnormal protein levels are linked to memory reactivations during sleep that we were able to identify in people’s brainwave patterns,” said Dr. Brice McConnell, author of the study (source 2).
Detection of the disease before the slightest symptom
These findings are particularly important as they were found in the people studied “before they showed symptoms.” The identification of these early biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease in asymptomatic adults may help patients develop prevention or mitigation strategies before the disease progresses”, continues the professor of neurology at the University of Colorado. Dr. McConnell even believes that the device might be “a possible way to measure brain health over time and that it might be used to indicate whether a person is at risk of developing a neurological disease ».
The studies are obviously at a early stage, further analyzes will be required to confirm these results. “Our next steps will be to perfect the process,” Dr. McConnell explained. The headband, if its diagnostic capability is confirmed, will not be available for many years. However, this study gives hope: “We are only scratching the surface with this work, which opens the way to affordable and easy-to-use devices for monitoring brain health”, concludes the scientist.
This is one of the potential new techniques that might indicate the onset of the disease quite early. Correlated with other diagnostic methods, this might be an additional measure to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease. Research is working a lot on these new diagnostic methods. We have a lot of hope. Dr Marion Levy.
How is Alzheimer’s disease diagnosed?
“In case of doubts, in particular memory disordersof the first memory tests will be carried out,” explains Dr. Marion Lévy. Depending on the results, “the memory disorders will be confirmed with an MRI or a PET scan. You can then also do a lumbar puncture to detect the presence of ß-amyloid and tau proteins in cerebrospinal fluid. These three steps allow us to tell if a patient is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease”, specifies the study and research manager of the Vaincre Alzheimer Foundation.
Alzheimer’s disease is unfortunately diagnosed late, “when it is already installed”, according to Dr. Lévy. Symptoms take 15 to 20 years to develop. The challenge is therefore to diagnose the disease earlier. Because if there is today no curative treatment, drugs (some still in study) have shown a notable reduction in cognitive symptoms in patients, especially in the early stage of the disease. Every year in France, 225,000 new cases are diagnosed (source 3).
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