Advances in the understanding of diseases like Alzheimer’s, depression and schizophrenia mean experts can spot signs that a person may be at risk years before the conditions take hold.
A ten-minute computer test developed this year, which tests patients’ memory and learning ability to identify more accurately than ever those most at risk from dementia, should be used to screen for the disease as early as 60, researchers said.
New treatments expected to be available within the next few years could even be used to prevent Alzheimer’s from ever taking hold if detected early enough, it is hoped.
Tests could also be devised to spot the first signs of conditions like schizophrenia and depression in teenagers, enabling earlier, drug-free treatments.
Alzheimer's
Writing in the Nature journal, a team of more than 400 mental health experts across the world called for action and investment to improve access to care and treatment for mental, neurological and substance use disorders.
Researchers from Cambridge University and King’s College London said screening programmes should be introduced to tackle the problem of undiagnosed mental health conditions in Britain.
While 94 per cent of people with diabetes and 78 per cent of those suffering from heart disease in western Europe receive treatment, more than seven in ten cases of depression or bipolar disorder go untreated.
Barbara Sahakian, Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology at Cambridge University, said: “If you wait until somebody has a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, they already have to have a decline in their previous level of functioning … we obviously need to go in earlier.
“We have drugs which are close to being ready for use, so we have to get to the point where we are screening because otherwise the drugs will be there but we won’t know who to put them into. I think we should be screening people over 60 for these things.”
A spokesperson for the Alzheimer’s society said: “Current diagnostic tests are not accurate enough to identify early signs by screening people as young as 60. Alzheimer’s Society would, however, welcome a debate on the value of screening for dementia in people over 75.
“Any screening needs to be followed by more robust tests before an accurate diagnosis can be given. Additionally, cognitive tests should never be used as a substitute for seeking expert advice.”
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Regular check-ups like visiting the dentist, having your eyes tested and avoiding coughs and colds could prevent dementia, say scientists.
Researchers have identified a range of illnesses, aches and pains that all increase the risk of dementia including arthritis, poor eyesight, broken bones and even badly fitting dentures.
Regular dental check-ups and staying as healthy and active as possible lessen the chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease and similar conditions in later life, said the study by Canadian scientists in the journal Neurology.
Although on their own the complaints would only increase the risk very slightly, someone suffering a range of health problems could be twice as likely to get dementia, they said.
The researchers looked at how eyesight, hearing, arthritis, coughs and colds, dental problems, diabetes and high blood pressure affected a person’s chances of developing Alzheimer’s and related conditions.
They claimed that a normal, healthy person has an 18 percent chance of getting the disease at some point in life. But this risk goes up by 3.2 percent for every illness or complaint that affects them.
Rebecca Wood, of Alzheimer’s Research (Britain), said: “This large study has turned up some intriguing and unexpected results, and it will be important to see whether follow-up studies have similar findings.”