A simple scanner to predict the risk of dementia?

Around 47 million people suffer from dementia worldwide. A figure which should even reach 66 million in 2030 and 115 million by 2050. In order to be able to target the factors at play as soon as possible, scientists are seeking to detect people at risk even before symptoms develop. During the American Heart Association’s AHA 2018 conference, which took place from November 10 to 12 in Chicago (United States), researchers claimed that a five-minute scan would recognize predisposed people.

A higher risk related to the pulse

The international team, led by University College London (UCL), studied the scans of more than 3,000 people for fifteen years. By examining the blood vessels in the neck, they measured the intensity of the blood flow traveling to the brain. In parallel, they also monitored the memory and problem-solving skills of the participants.

It turned out that people with the strongest pulse at the start of the study were 50% more likely to show signs of accelerated cognitive decline, compared to the rest of the participants. In fact, a stronger pulse can cause damage to small vessels in the brain, structural changes in the blood vessel network in the brain, and minor bleeding called “mini strokes”.

Cognitive decline, which is inevitable, is often one of the first signs of dementia. But not everyone who experiences it will necessarily develop a disease. For the researchers in charge of the study, this test could provide a new way to identify those at risk, which would lead to earlier treatments and lifestyle interventions. “Dementia is the end result of decades of damage, so it is too late for people to have it., explains Dr Scott Chiesa of UCL, relayed by the BBC. What we’re trying to say is to act as soon as possible, find a way to identify who is really sliding into possible dementia and target it. “

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