Researchers developing early warning test for dementia
LONDON: A computer test now being developed could provide a worldwide breakthrough in preventing dementia.
Royal Hobart Hospital neurologist and University of Tasmania researcher Dr Jane Alty is leading a team using the new “TAS Test” to detect the earliest stages of dementia 10 to 20 years before it causes any memory symptoms.
“The test could potentially transform dementia prevention and management worldwide as it will identify ‘high-risk’ individuals for drug trials and preventive interventions at a stage when the brain is still functioning well,” Dr Alty said.
“Currently, 50 million people have dementia but this will increase to 150 million by 2050 as our populations are ageing.
“A computer test that informs people of their future risk of dementia will give them the opportunity to modify their lifestyle and medical risk factors before they develop significant cognitive decline.
“Approximately 40 per cent of all dementia could be prevented if these risk factors are addressed but currently we have no population screening tests for brain health to identify who requires intense risk-factor modification – until they start to develop memory problems about 20 years after the dementia pathology first started progressing silently in the brain.”
Dr Alty is hoping thousands of Tasmanians over 50 will complete the test, which takes about 25 minutes.
Most will be recruited from two projects at the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre at the University of Tasmania – the ISLAND Project and the Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project.
Dr Alty said TAS Test uses an innovative approach – measuring abnormalities in hand movements as the marker of underlying dementia.
“It is amazing how quickly and precisely the computer test can measure the speed and rhythm of hand movements,” she said.
“Many people lose their dexterity and cannot move their hands as fast as they used to as they get older – but people with the earliest stages of dementia pathology seem to move even slower than others.
“There is good evidence from previous research studies that the speed and rhythm of hand movements become abnormal at the earliest stages of dementia, 20 years before the person becomes aware of any cognitive symptoms.
“These changes are very subtle, though, and not detectable with the naked eye. So far, it has not been possible to precisely measure hand movements on a large scale, as previous hand movement research needed people to wear movement sensors or to be assessed in a research setting.
“Our application of computer vision will solve this problem as it measures movements using a standard home computer or mobile phone camera – nearly everyone has access to one of these.”
Dr Alty is hopeful the TAS Test will enable people to enter drug trials at the earliest stages of dementia, when new drugs have the best chance of working because the brain is only minimally affected by the disease.
“We need thousands of people from Tasmania to take the test every 6-12 months over the next few years so it can be become more accurate,” she said.
“We also need a range of people from different backgrounds.”
Dr Alty is excited that the test could be used worldwide.
“As the test is based on movement, it can be done by anyone, whatever language they speak.
“As the test can be completed on a standard home computer, and no special ‘research’ equipment or professional researcher are needed, the test can reach widely around the world.”
The TAS Test project was awarded $899,782 in National Health and Medical Research Council funding over five years.
