To catch dementia and Alzheimer’s disease early on, scientists are looking for effective signs to use to diagnose dementia earlier. According to recent findings from researchers at the University of Toronto and Baycrest Rotman Research Institute, tracking a person’s brainwave activity can give clues of early signs of dementia.
The study examined the electrical activity and brain structures of 64 adults when they were in a resting state. Magnetoencephaolography (MEG) was used to measure brainwaves and their location, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was employed to determine the magnitude of loss of brain cells. The participants were also evaluated for their cognitive abilities.
The study, published in the journal Human Brain Mapping, suggested that brainwave activity tends to slow down in certain brain regions that are likely to be affected by dementia next. The team of researchers identified slowed brainwaves and subtle signs of damage in the brain areas in charge of memory and planning, in both individuals with mild cognitive impairment and those with primary progressive aphasia – a rare form of language dementia. Although these individuals were only observed to display minor memory and thinking problems, their slowing brainwaves predicted the severity of their cognitive impairment, including the degree of memory loss.
Jed Meltzer, the senior author of the study and Canada Research Chair in Interventional Cognitive Neuroscience, explains that, “By using brain imaging, we were able to pinpoint that this slowing of electrical activity occurs in specific regions that have not yet lost brain cells, but are negatively affected by the disease. This means that these areas could be more responsive to treatments since the brain cells have not died yet and are only starting to undergo damage.” In essence, slowed brainwaves can act as a sign of when brain cells begin to malfunction and may allow for new targeted brain treatments to be implemented early on.
The team aims to continue exploring and validating the use of brain activity as a reliable biomarker for early signs of dementia. More information about this study can be found here: https://www.utoronto.ca/news/u-t-study-links-slowed-brainwaves-early-signs-dementia
