A three-minute brainwave test could detect memory problems linked to Alzheimer's disease years before clinical diagnosis becomes possible. The breakthrough offers hope for early intervention in a condition that currently affects around 982,000 people across the UK.
The test, called Fastball, was developed at the University of Bath and uses electroencephalogram (EEG) technology to record electrical brain activity through small sensors placed on the scalp. Patients view rapid images whilst the device records their brain's automatic response to the visual stimuli.
Study reveals promising results
Researchers from the universities of Bath and Bristol tested 52 patients with mild cognitive impairment and 54 healthy older adults in a trial published in Brain Communications journal. Those with amnestic mild cognitive impairment - where significant memory loss is the main symptom - showed markedly reduced responses compared to healthy participants and those with other forms of cognitive decline.
The study demonstrated the test's reliability when participants were retested after one year. Crucially, researchers proved for the first time that Fastball can be performed successfully in patients' homes rather than clinical settings.
Early detection breakthrough
Dr George Stothart, a cognitive neuroscientist at the University of Bath who led the study, explained the significance of the findings. "We're missing the first 10 to 20 years of Alzheimer's with current diagnostic tools," he said. "Fastball offers a way to change that - detecting memory decline far earlier and more objectively, using a quick and passive test."
The Alzheimer's Society estimates that more than a third of people with dementia in the UK lack a formal diagnosis. Dementia cases are projected to reach 1.4 million by 2040, making early detection tools increasingly vital.
Expert reactions mixed on limitations
Sir John Hardy, professor of neuroscience at the UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London, welcomed the development whilst noting important caveats. "Identifying individuals early for cognitive decline is going to be of increasing importance as therapies for Alzheimer's and other dementias are developed and this protocol Fastball seems as if it may be helpful in this regard," he said. However, he cautioned that the test cannot distinguish early Alzheimer's from other causes of cognitive decline.
Dr Julia Dudley from Alzheimer's Research UK emphasised the need for longer-term validation. "However, as participants were only followed up one year later, we don't know if those people will definitely go on to develop dementia," she said. "Longer-term studies in larger, diverse groups of people are needed to find out if this technology can predict how memory problems will unfold over time."
Diagnosis barriers persist nationwide
The research comes alongside new findings from the Alzheimer's Society revealing widespread gaps in dementia support across the UK. A survey of almost 3,500 people affected by dementia found that one in five receive no support whatsoever.
Only a third of respondents described their diagnosis experience as positive, with long waiting times affecting 52 per cent of people and multiple healthcare appointments creating barriers for 41 per cent. More than a third of people living with dementia reported feeling scared about getting diagnosed.
Professor Fiona Carragher, chief policy and research officer at Alzheimer's Society, highlighted the urgent need for improvement. "An early and accurate diagnosis is vital to enable people living with dementia to access the care, support and treatments they so desperately need," she said. "Those who have been able to access these treatments experienced benefits, but we simply aren't diagnosing people early or accurately enough to see current and prospective treatments rolled out widely."
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
