Neck Scan Could Predict Dementia 10 Years Prior To Symptom Onset

A quick neck scan that analyzes the strength of a person’s blood vessels could help predict their risk of developing dementia 10 years before the onset of symptoms, according to a new study.

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Researchers from University College London studied roughly 3,200 patients aged 58 to 74 who had pulse pressure from a specific artery in their necks measured in 2002. Their cognitive functions were assessed at the time and also three more times over the next 14 years until 2016.

Patients with the most intense pulses were up to 50 percent more likely to suffer from cognitive decline. This is partly because the strength with which blood traveled into their brains caused harm to the brain’s blood vessel network.

Blood pressure can become more intense when arteries close to the heart wear down — mainly due to lifestyle choices like poor diet and drug use. This means the arteries can no longer cushion blood flow from the heart.

“If you can detect [the risk] in people in mid-life, it really gives an impetus to those people to change their lifestyle,” said Dr. Scott Chiesa, post-doctoral researcher at UCL. “What’s good for the arteries is good for the brain…Dementia is not an inevitable cause of aging. How you live your life… has a real impact on how quickly your condition can decline.”

Healthy arteries close to the heart regulate the blood pumped from it, ensuring the blood flows smoothly and constantly to the brain. Damaged arteries, on the other hand, cause more aggressive and irregular blood flow, which can harm the brain and its network of cells and blood vessels. Researchers believe the continued damage led to quicker cognitive decline in some participants of the study.

“What we do know is that the blood supply in the brain is incredibly important,” said Carol Routledge, Director of Research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, “and that maintaining a healthy heart and blood pressure is associated with a lower risk of developing dementia.” (Routledge was not involved in the UCL study.)

In fact, vascular dementia is caused directly by reduced blood flow to the brain. This can also play a role in Alzheimer’s development. These two diseases make up the majority of dementia cases.

Cautious Optimism

The findings of the study are cause for optimism, albeit of the cautious variety. If the results are corroborated by larger studies, the ability to detect dementia in middle age could be greatly enhanced.

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The neck scan employed during the study would be “well set up for routine testing,” according to Dr. Chiesa. He says the scans are both quick and easy to perform.

Paul Edwards, Director of Clinical Services at Dementia U.K., believes the study’s findings are encouraging. “Getting a diagnosis of dementia can be time consuming and quite frustrating for many people,” he says, “so it’s promising that earlier indicators of cognitive decline are in development.”

However, he mentions that we need to also focus supporting people and their families after a dementia diagnosis.

“The elephant in the room is the lack of support for people and their families once they get a diagnosis of dementia…Often, a diagnosis is made and then people are sent home with no information, no follow-up appointments and no clue about what is going to happen next.”

This holiday season, perhaps we can think about those in our lives who may be suffering from dementia, and see what we can do to help.