Suspected Alzheimer's disease "Identified by simple questions" - Keio University, etc.

Recently NHK News on-line reported the following:

アルツハイマー病の疑い “簡単な質問で見分け” 慶応大など

2024年11月24日 5時12分

認知症の原因となるアルツハイマー病の疑いがある人を、簡単な質問をするだけで見分けられる手法を開発したと慶応大学などのグループが発表し早期の治療につながると期待されています。

アルツハイマー病は脳に異常なたんぱく質がたまって神経細胞が壊れ、脳の機能が低下すると考えられていますが、去年承認されたこのたんぱく質を取り除く治療薬はアルツハイマー型の軽度の認知症やその手前の段階の軽度認知障害の患者が対象で、早期発見の重要性が高まっています。

慶応大学の伊東大介特任教授らのグループは患者と健康な人あわせて155人に簡単な質問をし、その答えやふるまいで病気を見分けられないか実験しました。

その結果、「現在、困っていることがあるか」、「3か月以内で気になるニュースがあるか」という質問にいずれも「ない」と答え、「現在、楽しみはあるか」という質問に具体的に回答した人の83％がアルツハイマー病の精密検査で陽性だったということです。

また、質問に直接答えず、付き添いの家族らに助けを求めて振り返る動作をした人の87％が陽性で、研究グループは質問への回答やふるまいをみれば病気の疑いがあるか高い精度で見分けられるとしています。

伊東特任教授は「今回の手法は問診の一環として実施できるので医師の負担も少ない。また、医師でない高齢者施設のスタッフなどでもできるので、早期発見につなげてほしい」と話してました。

Translation

Suspected Alzheimer's disease "Identified by simple questions" - Keio University, etc.

A group including Keio University announced that they had developed a method of by simply asking simple questions to identify people suspected of having Alzheimer's disease that caused dementia, and it was expected that this method could lead to early treatment.

Alzheimer's disease had been thought to be caused by the accumulation of abnormal proteins in the brain, which destroyed nerve cells and reduced brain function, but a treatment drug that could remove this protein approved last year was intended for patients with earlier stage mild Alzheimer's-type dementia, and also with mild cognitive impairment, therefore early detection of the disease was becoming increasingly important.

A group including Professor Daisuke Ito (伊東大介) of Keio University asked simple questions to 155 patients and healthy people, and conducted an experiment to see if the disease could be identified from their answers and behavior.

The results showed that 83% of people who answered "no" to the questions "Is there anything that is troubling you at present?" and "Is there any news that has concerned you in the last three months?”; also, those who gave affirmative answers to the question "Are you feeling delight now? " were later tested positive for Alzheimer's in subsequent thorough checkups.

In addition, 87% of people who did not answer the questions directly, but instead turned around to ask for help from accompanying family members, were tested positive. The research group believed that by looking at responses to questions and behavior, it was possible to tell with a high degree of accuracy in confirming whether someone had the suspected disease.

Specially Appointed Professor Ito said, "Since this method can be carried out as part of the medical interview, it puts less burden on doctors. What's more, it can be carried out by non-doctors, such as staff at elderly care facilities, so we hope it will lead to early detection."

So, a research group in Japan announces that they have developed a method in by asking people simple questions to identify those suspected of having Alzheimer's disease. Because it is easy to do, it can identity the disease early. This will lead to early treatments by a drug approved last year intended for patients with mild Alzheimer's-type dementia etc.