Study detects early signs of dementia
Researchers hope to detect the earliest signs of dementia in a new study involving up to 10,000 Australian participants. Led by the The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health in Melbourne, the project will use an online screening tool to test healthy volunteers.
Researchers hope to detect the earliest signs of dementia in a new study involving up to 10,000 Australian participants.
Led by the The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health in Melbourne, the project will use an online screening tool to test healthy volunteers.
Participants aged 50 years and over will take the computerised cognitive tests monthly for six months then every three months for the next three years.
The tests use tasks to evaluate whether there is a decline in memory over time.
“This new research project aims to detect the earliest possible signs of dementia in otherwise healthy people even before significant symptoms are noticed,” said Associate Professor David Darby from the Florey Institute.
“The online element makes it a convenient way for volunteers to test themselves repeatedly in their own homes or familiar environments.”
Anyone who is detected to have significant memory decline will be offered a more detailed medical assessment, Professor Darby said.
The University of Melbourne, CogState, Austin Health and Alzheimer’s Australia Victoria are also involved in the research.
A detailed overview of the study and how you can participate can be found at the Trajectory-Related Early Alzheimer’s Database (TREAD) website.
