Brain Size and Alzheimer's Disease
by Chrissie Nims on Jan 5th, 2012
Advances in technology continue to support extensive findings regarding the brain and Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease is a leading cause of death among U.S. adults, and access to better understanding of early-onset Alzheimer's is at the forefront of medical research across the country.
A recent Huffington Post article delves into the recent findings of a study published in the journal Neurology. Researchers used brain scans to analyze the thickness of nine regions in the information processing cerebral cortex to further investigate earlier research indicating a pattern of shrinking in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. The study aimed to determine the risk levels of early-onset Alzheimer’s by measuring the depth of these regions.
Researchers split participants of a median age of 76, into three groups depending on the thickness of the nine regions in their cerebral cortex. The various risk groups were monitored for three years with memory and problem-solving tests. According to the study, over 20 percent of the high-risk participants suffered from cognitive decline while the low-risk group failed to exhibit signs of cerebral cortex deterioration. In sum, this study helps to generate a better comprehension of the detection of early-onset Alzheimer's disease.
A member of the American Academy of Neurology, Dr. Brad Dickerson of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, noted the benefits of the study while warning that more research was necessary.
How important are preventative measures and research in medicine?
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