November 21, 2018
To turn back the clock on Alzheimer’s disease, many researchers are seeking ways to effectively diagnose the neurodegenerative disorder earlier.
One potential way to do this is by tracking a person’s brainwave activity, which slows down in certain brain regions that are likely to be affected by the disease next, according to recent findings by Baycrest researchers.
The study, published online in the journal,
Human Brain Mapping, found that individuals potentially in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease (mild cognitive impairment) and those with a rare form of language dementia (primary progressive aphasia) exhibited sluggish brainwaves and subtle signs of damage in the brain regions responsible for memory and planning. These individuals only displayed minor memory and thinking problems, but their slowing brainwaves predicted the severity of their condition, such as their degree of memory loss.
“By using brain imaging, we were able to pinpoint that this slowing of electrical activity occurs in specific regions that have not yet lost brain cells, but are negatively affected by the disease,” says
Dr. Jed Meltzer, senior author and
Canada Research Chair in Interventional Cognitive Neuroscience at Baycrest’s Rotman Research Institute. “This means that these areas could be more responsive to treatments since the brain cells have not died yet and are only starting to undergo damage.”
These brainwaves may also change in response to interventions, adds Dr. Meltzer.
“Our work identifies a potential biomarker that indicates when the brain cells start to malfunction and opens the door to implementing targeted brain treatments during earlier stages of neurodegenerative disorders,” says Dr. Meltzer, who is also an assistant professor in psychology and speech-language pathology at the University of Toronto.
Surprisingly, the study also found that healthy older adults displayed “sped up” brainwaves compared to young adults, which is distinctly opposite to the trajectory of older adults with dementia.
“One of the challenges in diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease is differentiating whether changes to the brain’s structure are a part of normal aging or actually early signs of the disorder,” says Dr Meltzer. “Based on these findings, researchers could potentially use measurements of brainwave activity before and after an intervention to test its effectiveness in a faster and clearer manner.”
The study analyzed the brain’s electrical activity and brain structures of 64 adults as they were unfocused on any tasks (otherwise known as resting-state). Magnetoencephalography (MEG) was used to measure brainwaves and pinpoint their specific location, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to assess the loss of brain cells. Research participants also underwent evaluations that tested their cognitive abilities.
As next steps, the team is exploring the use of brain stimulation as a way to slow the progression of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease.
This research was made possible through support from the Alzheimer’s Association, the Canadian Partnership for Stroke Recovery, the Ontario Brain Institute, the Canada Research Chairs program and the Sandra A. Rotman Program in Cognitive Neuroscience.
With additional funding, the team could continue validating the use of brain activity as a reliable health indicator for early signs of dementia. Researchers could also expand their work on determining effective ways to stall the development of neurodegenerative disorders or treat premature brain changes using non-invasive electrical stimulation.
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About Baycrest
Now in its 100th year, Baycrest is a global leader in geriatric residential living, healthcare, research, innovation and education, with a special focus on brain health and aging. Fully affiliated with the University of Toronto, Baycrest provides excellent care for older adults combined with an extensive clinical training program for the next generation of healthcare professionals and one of the world’s top research institutes in cognitive neuroscience, the Rotman Research Institute. Baycrest is home to the federally and provincially-funded Centre for Aging and Brain Health Innovation, a solution accelerator focused on driving innovation in the aging and brain health sector, and is the developer of Cogniciti – a free online memory assessment for Canadians 40+ who are concerned about their memory. Founded in 1918 as the Toronto Jewish Old Folks Home, Baycrest continues to embrace the long-standing tradition of all great Jewish healthcare institutions to improve the well-being of people in their local communities and around the globe. For more information please visit: www.baycrest.org
About Baycrest’s Rotman Research Institute
The Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest is a premier international centre for the study of human brain function. Through generous support from private donors and funding agencies, the institute is helping to illuminate the causes of cognitive decline in seniors, identify promising approaches to treatment, and lifestyle practices that will protect brain health longer in the lifespan.
For media inquiries:
Michelle Petch Gotuzzo
Baycrest
416-785-2500 ext. 6932
mpetchgotuzzo@baycrest.org
Josephine Lim
Baycrest
416-785-2500 ext. 6127
jlim@baycrest.org