Friends and family noticing differences in loved ones' memory could predict early changes in the brain
When a person’s peers or loved ones notice changes in their memory, even before obvious clinical signs of cognitive decline, there’s a significant chance that changes in their brain could already be unfolding, according to new research.
Experts at Mass General Brigham recently uncovered strong associations between reports of memory loss from patients' peers and/or loved ones and the presence of tau tangles on imaging. Researchers involved in the work suggested that their findings support families reporting early signs of memory deterioration to a medical provider.
“Something as simple as asking about memory complaints can track with disease severity at the preclinical stage of Alzheimer’s disease,” senior author Rebecca E. Amariglio, PhD, of the department of neurology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, said in a release. “We now understand that changes in the brain due to Alzheimer’s disease start well before patients show clinical symptoms detected by a doctor.”
The research included participants from the Anti-Amyloid Treatment in Asymptomatic AD/Longitudinal Evaluation of Amyloid Risk (A4/LEARN) and Neurodegeneration studies, the Harvard Aging Brain Study and other affiliated studies. This included 675 cognitively unimpaired individuals considered at risk of developing AD but not yet diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disorder. Participants underwent PET scans and had a friend or family member—often someone who lived with them—complete cognitive function assessments on their behalf as well.
Sixty percent of the group showed amyloid and tau on imaging. The presence of amyloid and tau significantly correlated with both self- and peer-reported signs of memory loss, and the results of patients’ cognitive function assessments were also closely linked to altered imaging.
Memory issues can occur for a number of reasons, and while general forgetfulness might not warrant a visit to a doctor, when individuals close to a person start noticing changes, these findings suggest that it does merit heightened concern, Amariglio noted.
“There is increasing evidence that individuals themselves or a close family member may notice changes in memory, even before a clinical measure picks up evidence of cognitive impairment.”
The study can be found in the journal Neurology.
In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She began covering the medical imaging industry for Innovate Healthcare in 2021.