Dual-tasking test could differentiate between Alzheimer's and depression.Byline: ANI London, Nov 9 (ANI): Scottish researchers have developed a novel diagnostic test that can help distinguish between symptoms of depression and early Alzheimer's. People developing Alzheimer's face mild levels of impaired reasoning and memory that are easily mistaken for signs of depression, which in turn can lead to many patients with dementia being misdiagnosed and missing out on early treatment that could make a difference. Now, researchers at the University of Edinburgh (body, education) University of Edinburgh - A university in the centre of Scotland's capital. The University of Edinburgh has been promoting and setting standards in education for over 400 years. found that asking patients to perform two mental tasks at the same time can help tell the conditions apart. Led by Professor Sergio Della Sala, the researchers compared the "dual-tasking" ability of 89 Alzheimer's patients, sufferers of chronic depression and healthy elderly individuals with no memory impairment Impairment 1. A reduction in a company's stated capital. 2. The total capital that is less than the par value of the company's capital stock. Notes: 1. This is usually reduced because of poorly estimated losses or gains. 2. . The findings showed that people with Alzheimer's performed significantly worse than the other two groups. This was true even when allowances were made for individual memory differences. "This is the first piece of research to compare the performance of dual tasks in Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (ăls`hī'mərz, ôls–), degenerative disease of nerve cells in the cerebral cortex that leads to atrophy of the brain and senile dementia. and depression and could mean that people with dementia are diagnosed earlier. Currently, up to two-thirds of people with dementia never receive a formal diagnosis and it is often misdiagnosed as depression. Dela Sala's team aims to develop a simple screening test that will help GPs discriminate Alzheimer's from normal ageing and depression," The Scotsman quoted Dr Susanne Sorensen, head of research at the Alzheimer's Society Alzheimer’s Society is a United Kingdom care and research charity for humans with dementia and their carers. The Alzheimer's Society provides information and advice to assist carers which can also be used to assist in the training of doctors, nurses and care staff. , as saying. "An early diagnosis is hugely important as it may enable people with dementia to understand their condition, (and] have access to certain drugs that could help relieve some of their symptoms," he added. The dual task experiment consists of five stages. First the subject's short-term memory short-term memory n. Abbr. STM The phase of the memory process in which stimuli that have been recognized and registered are stored briefly. capacity is determined, the outcome called the "digit span". Then lists of digits are read to the subject who is asked to repeat the lists, which produces a "task list score". Stage three involves using a pencil to trace a path through a maze, giving a third score. In stage four, the subject repeats digit lists while tracing a path, the dual task. The final stage is a retest re·test tr.v. re·test·ed, re·test·ing, re·tests To test again. n. A second or repeated test. of stage four. The study has been published in the Journal of Neurology neurology (n  rŏl`əjē, ny–), study of the morphology, physiology, and pathology of the human nervous system. . (ANI)
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