Detecting risk factors for Alzheimer's Disease and identifying at-risk individuals is difficult to do before significant brain damage occurs. Language changes in pre-dementia individuals could serve as early signs of Alzheimer's. Advances in technology enable the analysis of speech samples to detect cognitive changes early on. Lifestyle changes and neuroprotective treatments have shown promise in reducing Alzheimer's risk factors and delaying cognitive decline in the early stages of the disease.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative condition in the world. Many billions of dollars have been invested to find a cure or treatment for this devastating disease. Yet, nothing to date has been shown to meaningfully impact survival or quality of life.
The main barrier is identifying people at risk for Alzheimer’s disease who have not yet experienced significant brain pathology. This is a challenge. While there is a genetic risk associated with some forms of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common forms are sporadic. That means that the vast majority of people who acquire Alzheimer’s disease don’t have a reason to expect they’re vulnerable. It is only after they experience problems with memory that they seek a diagnosis, and this means much irreversible damage in the brain has already occurred.
So how can we identify at-risk individuals to study potentially neuroprotective treatments to nip Alzheimer’s disease in the bud before it takes root? There are many very early indicators that may hold a clue. In particular, changes in the way individuals with pre-dementia use language is well-documented in the literature.
Imagine being able to collect picture descriptions or other speech samples at annual medical evaluations, just like providing a blood sample. In healthy aging, people continue expanding their vocabulary and using the syntax that has been reinforced throughout their lives. However, if there are year-over-year reductions in the complexity or density of ideas conveyed in the picture description, or the variety of words used, this would point toward potential cognitive changes, and trigger a more in-depth neurological assessment.
Advances in technology have made this imaginary scenario completely possible. Clinical grade speech analytics have the potential to identify very early cognitive changes where life-style changes may be sufficient to stave off further decline. Optimizing exercise, diet, sleep, social interaction, new learning, and aiding sensory deficits of hearing and vision shows very promising positive results for cognition and quality of life. Drugs designed to slow or stop neurodegeneration also will be most effective in these early days.
