Brain shrinks 10 years before dementia onset: study
Page 1 of 1 • Share
Brain shrinks 10 years before dementia onset: study
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
WASHINGTON: People with Alzheimer's disease may start experiencing shrinking of parts of the brain as many as 10 years before the degenerative condition is diagnosed, a US study suggested on Wednesday.
While the results are still preliminary, scientists said the findings could one day provide a way to identify by MRI scan which individuals are most likely to develop the disease, which can run in families and has no cure.
US researchers followed two separate groups of people who had no signs of Alzheimer's -- one group of 33 was tracked for 11 years and another group of 33 was followed for eight years.
Magnetic resonance imaging scans were performed regularly and focused on parts of the brain where Alzheimer's is typically found, such as the language and memory centers.
Over time, eight people in the first group and seven in the other developed the devastating condition.
When researchers looked back at their brain scans, they found early signs of shrinkage, or low MRI measurements, in the ones who would develop the disease.
"Of the 11 people who had the lowest MRI measurements, 55 percent developed Alzheimer's, while none of the nine people with the highest measurements developed dementia," said the study in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Twenty percent of those with average brain measurements developed the disease.
"This measure is potentially an important imaging marker of early changes in the brain associated with Alzheimer's disease that could help predict who might develop the dementia associated with this disease and possibly even how long it would be before dementia develops," said study author Bradford Dickerson of Harvard Medical School in Boston.
Alzheimer's is a progressive brain disease that causes memory loss and behavioral changes. It attacks the brain and gradually eats away at gray matter.
Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia and is estimated to affect about five million Americans. (AFP)
WASHINGTON: People with Alzheimer's disease may start experiencing shrinking of parts of the brain as many as 10 years before the degenerative condition is diagnosed, a US study suggested on Wednesday.
While the results are still preliminary, scientists said the findings could one day provide a way to identify by MRI scan which individuals are most likely to develop the disease, which can run in families and has no cure.
US researchers followed two separate groups of people who had no signs of Alzheimer's -- one group of 33 was tracked for 11 years and another group of 33 was followed for eight years.
Magnetic resonance imaging scans were performed regularly and focused on parts of the brain where Alzheimer's is typically found, such as the language and memory centers.
Over time, eight people in the first group and seven in the other developed the devastating condition.
When researchers looked back at their brain scans, they found early signs of shrinkage, or low MRI measurements, in the ones who would develop the disease.
"Of the 11 people who had the lowest MRI measurements, 55 percent developed Alzheimer's, while none of the nine people with the highest measurements developed dementia," said the study in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Twenty percent of those with average brain measurements developed the disease.
"This measure is potentially an important imaging marker of early changes in the brain associated with Alzheimer's disease that could help predict who might develop the dementia associated with this disease and possibly even how long it would be before dementia develops," said study author Bradford Dickerson of Harvard Medical School in Boston.
Alzheimer's is a progressive brain disease that causes memory loss and behavioral changes. It attacks the brain and gradually eats away at gray matter.
Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia and is estimated to affect about five million Americans. (AFP)
Rao Muhammad Aftab- Monstars
-
Posts : 1091
Join date : 2011-02-11
Age : 35
Similar topics
» Study shows how brain's wiring develops in babies
» Healthy heart keeps brain younter
» Scientists find brain cells that help in breathing
» Laughter good medicine for dementia patients
» Brain Damaging Habits
» Healthy heart keeps brain younter
» Scientists find brain cells that help in breathing
» Laughter good medicine for dementia patients
» Brain Damaging Habits
Page 1 of 1
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
|
|
Sat May 04, 2024 11:49 am by ali001
» house disrepair claims
Thu May 02, 2024 4:29 pm by Ibad Khan Buledi
» Bounce n Bang: Physics puzzler
Thu May 02, 2024 11:39 am by ali001
» AIChatSY - AIChatbot Assistant
Wed May 01, 2024 10:48 am by ali001
» Storybook Magic App
Tue Apr 30, 2024 7:06 pm by ali001
» Flower Book Match3 Puzzle Game
Tue Apr 30, 2024 12:17 pm by ali001
» Avian Influenza Symptom in Chickens "Bird Flu H5N1 Virus" Vet learning materials, Poultry Farming
Sat Apr 27, 2024 9:57 am by Ibad Khan Buledi
» Aloha Planner - Note-Taker
Thu Apr 11, 2024 4:52 pm by ali001
» Streaming Guide Film TV Series
Tue Apr 09, 2024 9:39 pm by ali001