Alzheimer’s disease cure? New method may lead to more effective treatment

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, while dementia with Lewy bodies is another common type.

The former affects 850,000 people in the UK, while just over 100,000 people have been diagnosed with the latter.

They are both leading causes of cognitive decline.

However the two types of dementia are difficult to tell apart in their early stages.

According to the NHS, the first signs of Alzheimer’s include memory lapses, such as forgetting about recent conversations, repeating themselves, showing poor judgement and becoming less flexible.

The first signs of DLB also includes problems with understanding, thinking, memory and judgement.

However, researchers may have discovered a way to distinguish between the two, and potentially diagnose Alzheimer’s at an earlier stage than ever.

The study by University College London (UCL), combined multiple tests to decipher between Alzheimer’s, DLB or normal age-related decline if a patients starts to show mild cognitive impairment.

The new method comes as progress towards drugs to cure or stabilise dementia has stalled, despite huge amounts invested in research.

It’s thought that people are being treated too late, and the same drugs might be more effective if given a decade or two before symptoms have fully developed.

The researchers used a range of tests and symptom profiles to predict at the earliest point the type of dementia a sufferer might develop.

They discovered, for example, that those who went on to have Alzheimer’s scored much worse on a word memory task than those who went on to have DLB.

On the other hand, those who were eventually diagnosed with DLB, were more likely to have visual hallucinations, Parkinson’s-like tremors and unconsciously acting out their dreams.

Laura Phipps of Alzheimer’s Research UK said: “The results from this study suggest that combined tests could help distinguish between early Alzheimer’s or DLB, but how powerful these are in providing an accurate diagnosis on an individual level still needs to be explored.”

There’s currently no cure for either condition, but there are a number of treatment options to reduce symptoms, including medication and therapy.

For Alzheimer’s it’s also possible to slow down the progression of the condition in some people.

James Pickett, head of research at the Alzheimer’s Society in the UK, said: “While it’s too early for this to be used in the clinic, this represents an important step forward in allowing researchers and doctors to help people with dementia receive a more accurate diagnosis, increasing their chances of taking part in relevant clinical trials.”