Simple word test could identify early Alzheimer's

British scientists believe that a simple word test could be used to identify people who might be suffering from the very early stages of Alzheimer's disease.

In a new study presented this week, it has been revealed that people in the first stages of the incurable illness cannot write down as many animals and fruits, in a one-minute period, as healthy individuals.

According to Professor Andy Ellis of the University of York in England, it was also discovered that the characteristics of the words the Alzheimer's sufferers produced were different.

It seems the words they retained were the very familiar words heard frequently and words learned in early, rather than late, childhood.

Professor Ellis says that by looking at the characteristics of the words people produced it is possible to correctly determine whether somebody came from the group of healthy controls or the Alzheimer's patients.

Ellis and his colleagues are convinced the results of the study, involving 96 patients and 40 healthy controls, with an average age of 77, could form the basis of a test to determine whether elderly patients are just having a "senior moment" or the memory lapse is more serious.

He says it is possible that exploring the characteristics of the words that are still available to them, might be one of the ways to detect that something is going wrong.

He believes it is of considerable value to identify people who are beginning to show the first signs of the disease.

Alzheimer's is the leading cause of dementia in the elderly and affects an estimated 12 million people around the globe.

The incidence of the disease is expected to increase as the population ages.

As yet there is no cure for the progressive illness, which robs people of their memory and mental ability, but it is thought drug treatments may slow the early progression of the disorder.

Animals listed in the written test by the healthy elderly people included giraffes, zebras and badgers and were seldom seen on the Alzheimer's patient list.

Ellis says a test based on the findings may help to assist with the early diagnoses of the illness and allow people to receive treatment as soon as possible.

Ellis says the next step will be to produce a prognostic guide.