Improving early diagnosis of dementia

The Fastball-MCI project aims to develop a new tool for the early diagnosis of dementia. Early diagnosis tools are greatly needed in dementia research, with diagnosis typically occurring relatively late in the disease process. Early diagnosis could aid drug development through earlier and more accurate identification of dementia patients in clinical trials, and also increase the efficacy of lifestyle interventions, which have been shown to slow the rate of cognitive decline in at-risk populations. There is also an increasing public desire for early diagnosis, with a recent survey conducted by Alzheimer’s Research UK showing 74% of people would want to know if they, or a family member, had Alzheimer's Disease (AD) before symptoms develop.

We have had early success in detecting memory problems in AD and we are now extending the approach into earlier stages of dementia. Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is for some people an early stage of dementia, however for others it is not.

The Fastball-MCI project will help develop a tool that can help to predict whether a person with MCI is likely to go on to develop dementia.

Team members

• Dr George Stothart, University of Bath
• Dr Liz Coulthard, University of Bristol, North Bristol NHS Trust
• Sophie Alderman, University of Bath

Funder

Academy of Medical Sciences

Project partners

• Research Institute for the Care of Older People (RICE), Royal United Hospital, Bath
• Brain Centre, Southmead Hospital, Bristol

Project phases

May 2021 to May 2022

We will be recruiting patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment during the first year.

Each participant will be asked to complete a series of simple, passive tasks on a computer, whilst wearing a cap that will measure their brain waves, a technique known as electroencephalography (EEG). We will be using the latest mobile EEG systems, meaning that participants can be tested in the lab, in clinic or even in the comfort of their own home.

May 2022 to May 2023

We will re-test participants in the second year of the project.