Alzheimer’s destroy memory, thinking, day to day life and gets worse over time. A new device developed by the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University of Medicine has given hope to millions who suffer from this deadly disease to know the status of the disease in advance.
The device allows an easy test to detect the cognitive decline associated with its early stages of Alzheimer’s and give a chance to slow down the advancement of the disease.
David Wright, one of the developer of the device said, “Families usually wait until their mom or dad does something somewhat dangerous, like forgetting to take their medications or getting lost, before bringing them in for testing. At that point, the patient has already lost a significant portion of their cognitive function”.
“With this device, we might be able to pick up impairment well before those serious symptoms occur and start patients on medications that could delay those symptoms,” Wright added.
The device is named as DETACT, which takes only ten minutes to measure reaction time and memory functions that if weaken are associated with its early stage of this neurodegenerative disease.
According to the developers if impairment is detected, neurologist, neuropsychologist and other specialists take the further assessment of the test.
The test include picture and word stimuli which is an improvement over the test followed widely-the pen and paper test that takes about an hour and a half.
It is estimated that there is 24 million people worldwide suffering from this disease which is expected to grow in an estimated 81 million worldwide by 2040.
|
|
Comments:
