Brain Test Could Predict Dementia Before Doctors Can See It, Study Suggests
There is no cure for dementia, and as the condition progresses, the patient may not be able to recognize loved ones.
Researchers from Amsterdam UMC in the Netherlands have discovered that a person's brain age, as assessed by MRI scans, could predict the risk of developing dementia years before doctors can identify the condition. The study, published in Neurology, found that the discrepancy between an individual's actual age and the age their brain appears to be on an MRI scan, known as brain-PAD, could serve as an early warning sign.
For every year a patient's brain appeared older than their actual age, the risk of dementia increased by 6 percent. The research used data from patients with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) over a 22-year period. While the brain age method was more effective in identifying dementia risk in SCD patients, it did not significantly improve the detection of dementia in MCI patients compared to traditional MRI assessments.
The study's lead researcher, Stefan De Vries, stated that the findings suggest brain age could be valuable in catching the early stages of dementia when subtle changes might otherwise go unnoticed. Further research is needed to determine if this approach can be effectively implemented in clinical settings to support current diagnostic methods.
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