Sunday, April 16, 2017

Memory as a Predictor


We are all aware that memory disturbances are a prominent feature of dementia, 75% of which is classified as Alzheimer's. As studies continue to try to shed some light on this dreaded condition, we are slowly dissecting some pre-Alzheimer's conditions that might shed light on what to expect in terms of our own future vulnerabilities. In fact, 90% of what we know about Alzheimer’s has been discovered in the last 15 years. What to expect includes invasive and non-invasive testing.

MCI, or Mild Cognitive Impairment, is a condition where cognitive changes are serious enough to be noticed by the individuals experiencing them or to other people but are not severe enough to interfere with daily life or independent functions.  Currently there are 2 recognized types of MCI.

MCI that primarily affects memory is known as "amnestic MCI." With aMCI, a person loses episodic memory and may start to forget valuable information that he or she would previously have recalled easily, such as appointments, conversations or recent events.  People with aMCI are more likely to develop Alzheimer's.

MCI that affects thinking skills other than memory is known as "non-amnestic MCI." Thinking skills that may be affected by non-amnestic MCI include the ability to make sound decisions, judge the time or judge a sequence of steps needed to complete a complex task.

Some MCI cases stay the same; some can revert to normal. Why this is we do not yet know. The chance of progressing to Alzheimer's from any MCI are dependent on multiple factors, so there is no clear number percentage of what to expect in any given individual. In general, it has been reported that there is around a 50% chance of developing Alzheimer's within 5 years.

One predictive test uses electroencephalogram (EEG) technology, a more affordable and non-invasive alternative compared to other methods (such as PET scans) to measure neural responses. In a study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, scientists found that individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) have twice the risk of others in their age group of progressing to Alzheimer's after identifying a specific variation in their brain waves.  These EEG findings reveal a  pattern of delayed neural activity that is directly related to the severity of cognitive impairment during a word task and may indicate an early progression to Alzheimer's.

After more vetting, the prospective EEG diagnostic tool could potentially provide complementary information for diagnosis of pre-dementia stages, including MCI, and possibly identify neural changes that precede cases of Alzheimer's disease.

In a study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, scientists found that individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) have twice the risk of others in their age group of progressing to Alzheimer's after identifying a specific variation in their brain waves.

In a study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, scientists found that individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) have twice the risk of others in their age group of progressing to Alzheimer's after identifying a specific variation in their brain waves.

Read more at: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-09-alzheimer.html#jCp

In a study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, scientists found that individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) have twice the risk of others in their age group of progressing to Alzheimer's after identifying a specific variation in their brain waves.

Read more at: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-09-alzheimer.html#jCp


In a study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, scientists found that individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) have twice the risk of others in their age group of progressing to Alzheimer's after identifying a specific variation in their brain waves.

Read more at: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-09-alzheimer.html#jCp
In a study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, scientists found that individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) have twice the risk of others in their age group of progressing to Alzheimer's after identifying a specific variation in their brain waves.

Read more at: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-09-alzheimer.html#jCp

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