About a half million Americans die every year from Alzheimer’s disease. Diagnosing Alzheimer’s is costly; current tests cost around $3000 a pop. But researchers from Emory University have come up with a way to diagnose Alzheimer’s that can be accurate up to three years before memory loss sets in, and can be done from your computer. A 5-year study just finished that tested the brains of 92 seniors. The test showed participants two pictures, one familiar and the other not, then tracked the amount of time the participant’s eyes spent on each picture. People with a normal hippocampus spend more time looking at the unfamiliar picture, where people with a damaged hippocampus—like Alzheimer’s patients—spend the same amount of time looking at each. The study was successful and accurately diagnosed a mild impairment in 32 participants, which can be seen as pre-Alzheimer’s. Further research is being conducted in Shanghai, but the scientific community is on step closer to finding a cure to this tragic disease.
Diagnosing Alzheimer’s before memory loss
More of Today's Solutions
Tiny fire detector inspired by nature could transform wildfire prevention
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM As wildfires grow more frequent and destructive due to climate change, early detection is becoming more crucial than ...
Read MoreLisbon leads Europe with first citywide reusable cup system
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Lisbon has just taken a big, refreshing step toward sustainability, perfectly timed for Plastic Free July. With the ...
Read More5 tips for better sleep from Olympians
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM We all know that sleep is vital for our health and wellbeing, and athletes are especially in tune ...
Read MoreStatue of late civil rights leader John Lewis replaces Confederate monument i...
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM A monument honoring the life and work of civil rights icon John Lewis was unveiled in Decatur, Georgia, ...
Read More
