Neck Scan Detects Dementia Way Before Symptoms Appear

A study to be presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions conference found early dementia signs could be detected by scanning the individual's neck, with actual dementia symptoms observed up to a decade after these signs are visible on the scans, reports News-Medical . The team examined the strength of a pulse traveling to the brain via the neck from the heart; the intensity of this pulse from the heart to different parts of the body frequently varies. The large blood vessels are normally elastic and thus absorb the major pulse intensity from the heart, diminishing the pulse intensity that travels to the brain and preventing damage to the brain's blood vessels. The researchers observed some 3,200 middle-aged participants who were followed for an average of 15 years to see if they were at high risk of dementia. They received an ultrasound test of the neck in 2002, while memory functions and problem solving tests also were conducted at baseline. Results indicated that those who had the highest pulse intensity were 50 percent more likely to exhibit an accelerated or rapidly progressing decline in cognitive abilities over the following decade compared to those who had a lower intensity. The authors said the neck scan could predict the "risk scores" for dementia later in life, and elevated pulse intensity was associated with significant declines in memory, thinking, problem solving, and language.