With age, it is not uncommon to notice that memory is failing. Whether it’s when going shopping, during a conversation or even with everyday objects like glasses or a wallet for example. “THE memory loss benign are linked to natural aging of the brainexplained to Current wife Professor Maï Panchal, researcher and general director of the Fondation Vaincre Alzheimer. They occur from the age of 50, and sometimes earlier from the age of 30.”
But this symptom should not be ignored, especially among seniors. Indeed, researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, in the United States, carried out a study which helps explain why it is essential to inform the doctor if a loved one notices persistent memory loss. Indeed, according to them, the latter may be a sign of changes in the brain related to Alzheimer’s disease. Their research is published in the journal Neurology.
Alzheimer’s disease: spotting memory loss would help doctors diagnose it
To arrive at these results, the researchers based themselves on data from various research studies relating to the appearance of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common neurodegenerative disease in the world. The participants’ cognitive functions, such as attention, memory and language, were assessed. Additionally, the researchers performed an imaging test called “Positron Emission Tomography” (PET), to detect levels of Tau proteins and beta-amyloid, the latter being linked to the development of neurodegenerative disease.
The researchers noticed that participants who had memory problems had elevated levels of amyloid and the protein Tau. “We now understand that brain changes due to Alzheimer’s disease begin long before patients show clinical symptoms detected by a doctor,” notes in a press release Rebecca E. Amariglio, neurology researcher at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. The latter emphasizes that relatives can help with early diagnosis by being attentive to changes in the cognitive functions of an elderly relative.
But how to do it ? In the press release, the specialist explains that “something as simple as ask questions about memory problems can indicate the severity of the disease in the preclinical stage of Alzheimer’s disease”. However, she qualifies by specifying that Memory loss does not automatically mean a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. “However, the concerns of a patient or family member should not be ignored if they are worried about their cognitive functions.”conclude the researchers.
Sources :
- Associations Between Self and Study Partner Report of Cognitive Decline With Regional Tau in a Multicohort Study – Neurology.
- Study finds that memory complaints can predict biological changes in the brain – Brigham and Women’s Hospital (communiqué)
