Currently, German researchers are developing a new test to detect Alzheimer’s disease at an early stage, reports the Daily Mail.
Tests at the Technical University of Darmstadt revealed that nasal mucous can show whether the harmful tau protein, which kills brain cells, is present in the brain. The protein is also found in the eyes, however researchers have found testing the nose is less intrusive for patients.
Lead researcher Boris Schmidt said, “The more tau deposits we found in the noses of patients, the worse the brain structure was hit.”
Symptoms such as confusion, poor memory, mood swings and speech problems observed in patients with Alzheimer’s are also found in other diseases. Physicians should still proceed with a brain scan to actually confirm Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers believe a spray or tablet will be the best way of delivering the dye to the nasal cavity, and then a light shone up the patient’s nose will enable doctors to detect the harmful protein.
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