Brain scan to detect Alzheimer's before symptoms appear in world first

Telegraph

25-05-2025

A world-first brain scanning technique could identify signs of Alzheimer's disease long before symptoms appear.
The method, which analyses the cell structure of the brain, has been found to identify subtle changes in the cortical regions, including areas typically affected in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.
At the moment, diagnosis of diseases such as dementia normally relies on questionnaires which show memory problems combined with MRI scans, which can show loss of brain volume.
However, this means many people are diagnosed only when the disease has progressed.
The British scientists behind the 'precision diagnostic tool' said it could bring hope for millions of people with concerns about dementia.
Tests suggest it is able to spot disruption in the structure and function of the cortex, particularly those associated with functions such as memory, decision-making and language.
The new technique, called cortical disarray measurement, uses advanced software which analyses MRI scans to pinpoint more subtle signs of neurodegeneration.
British company Oxford Brain Diagnostics has now been certified to start offering the method and is in talks with private health providers about rollout.
It has already been designated by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in the United States as a 'breakthrough' device.
The neuroscientist behind the advances said it meant medical professionals were able to see changes in the brain far earlier, at level normally only be possible via a post-mortem examination.
Over the past year, two major treatments for Alzheimer's disease have been given the green light by UK regulators.
Donanemab and lecanemab are the first treatments found to slow progression of the disease.
However, both have been blocked for use on the NHS on the grounds they are not cost-effective.
Experts believe that diagnosing dementia early is key to making treatments more effective and helping to ensure they become more widely available.
Almost 1 million people in the UK are are living with dementia, but this number is expected to reach 1.4 million by 2040.
Oxford Brain Diagnostics, a spinout company from the University of Oxford, was founded by Dr Steven Chance, former associate professor of neuroscience at Oxford, and Prof Mark Jenkinson, a leading expert in brain imaging.
The breakthrough was achieved after the company received funding from UK investment firm BGF and the Oxford Technology & Innovations Fund.
Identify other neurodegenerative conditions
Studies have found the method can detect neurodegenerative changes before any visible brain shrinkage or atrophy appears on standard imaging as well as distinguish between different types of dementia.
It has also been found to predict which individuals with mild cognitive impairment are more likely to develop dementia.
The platform could also help to identify other neurodegenerative conditions including Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis.
Dr Chance said: 'The core technology is founded on my background, looking at the microscopic structure of brains at autopsy for many years. You couldn't do that with a living patient and this is what we needed.'
He said the technology could have a 'transformative' impact, bringing hope to 'millions of people who are seeking a non-invasive, precision diagnostic tool to reveal the truth about their brain health'.
For now, the target patient market is those suffering mild cognitive decline, allowing professionals to differentiate between types of dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Dr Chance said clinics might offer annual MOTs for those with concerns about memory problems.
In time, and with the advent of more medicines to treat dementia, such advances could be rolled out to those in mid-life, he said.
'More than 20 per cent of those over 50 have Alzheimer's-type changes, small-scale changes that would be otherwise invisible. These breakthroughs open up a whole new way of monitoring brain health.'