Zest launches early dementia screening test
Zest has unveiled a new app-based cognitive test designed to screen for the early signs of dementia, as efforts ramp up in healthcare to protect against age-related neurological decline.
Developed alongside a team at the University of Cambridge University's Memory Lab, the London-headquartered biotech's Precision Memory Assessment (PREMAZ) test is intended to detect subtle cognitive changes that may occur decades before the symptoms of dementia arise.
PREMAZ works by focusing on testing in the areas of memory function most affected in early dementia: episodic- and recognition-related memory, the brain's processing speed, and executive function in relation to decision-making and working memory.
By enabling earlier detection and empowering people to make preventative changes sooner, this technology could dramatically reduce the number of Alzheimer's cases and change the future of brain health, according to Zest.
'By moving this technology from the lab into people's hands, we're creating new opportunities for earlier detection, better interventions, and ultimately better outcomes,' explained Professor Jon Simons, Cambridge Memory Lab's lead and scientific director on the project with Zest.
'The sensitivity of our memory precision task means we can detect subtle memory changes at an early stage when they can still be remedied by cognitive and lifestyle interventions that may protect against further age-related decline.'
Various companies are on the road towards developing early dementia detection tools, with each taking slightly different approaches towards the early detection of the neurodegenerative condition.
Since gaining clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in January 2025, Oxford Brain Diagnostics (OBD) is gearing up to launch a software tool designed to evaluate the early signs of dementia by analysing MRI scans.
Meanwhile, a research team led by the University of Edinburgh is using artificial intelligence (AI) to develop a software tool for use by optometrists to detect dementia risk from a routine eye test.
Work is also underway in determining what factors may increase or reduce an individual's risk of developing dementia in later life.
A study recently published in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry found that people with low levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in their blood had a lower risk of developing dementia. Further research suggests that those who experience hearing loss yet forego cochlear implants or hearing aids, may be at greater risk of developing dementia.
"Zest launches early dementia screening test" was originally created and published by Medical Device Network, a GlobalData owned brand.
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