Alzheimer’s seen on scans decades before dementia, study shows

Scientists in Australia have published study findings that show how abnormal protein deposits in the brain which are thought to trigger Alzheimer’s disease can be detected decades before the disease actually presents itself. This could help the development of future treatments for the disease, which currently has no cure, is the main cause of dementia, and affects nearly 36 million people globally. With a rapidly aging world populace, that number of sufferers will double by 2030 and triple by 2050, says the World Health organization. According to the study, all Alzheimer’s patients have these brain deposits, known as amyloid beta. However, not everybody who has amyloid beta deposits necessarily has Alzheimer’s. However, scientists believe that it is just a matter of time before amyloid beta deposits trigger Alzheimer’s disease.