Diagnosing the onset of early dementia could be as easy as a 30-minute chat with a computer using a program being developed by The University of Queensland.
The program, funded by a $320,000 National Health and Medical Research Council grant, will be tested by GP’s in Brisbane and Ipswich after being piloted in the laboratory next year.
Dr Nancy Pachana, the Director of Clinical Psychology in the UQ Faculty of Social and Behavioural Science`s School of Psychology, is working with Professor Michael Humphreys, Director of the Key Centre for Human Factors on the program.
They are developing a test that is sensitive, easily delivered and of practical use to busy GP`s. Other UQ partners on the project include Associate Professor Gerard Byrne, Head of Psychiatry, and Professor Chris Del Mar, the Director of the Centre for General Practice at the School of Public Health.
Dr Pachana said early diagnosis would help identify people who might benefit from interventions, including medications, which might treat symptoms or improve quality of life.
“Early recognition of memory problems might also help with planning to minimise risks involved in everyday life, such as driving,” she said.
The computer program would also screen for symptoms such as anxiety and depression, as well as other factors such as medications being taken, all of which can affect memory and test results.
“Using this technology, GP`s could offer baseline and follow-up screenings in a time-efficient manner. This will allow them to test older adults quickly and monitor any changes over time,” Dr Pachana said.
“GP`s could then target referrals for additional tests, such as more in-depth neuropsychological assessments, when suggested by the data.
“The system allows patients to reply verbally to the questions and images presented by the computer. Their results are compared not only to their last performance (if available), but also to their peers of the same age, education, and gender. The test will be submitted electronically to central processing point and quickly returned.”
Dr Pachana said early diagnosis of dementia was difficult because its symptoms could mimic other disorders, such as depression, or be mistaken for an effect of normal ageing.
The system could evolve into an invaluable national database on Alzheimer`s Disease and other cognitive disorders in the ageing Australian population, she said
It is estimated that currently 6 percent of Australian citizens aged 65 years and over (approximately 140,000 people) suffer from dementia; this figure is projected to nearly triple by the year 2051.
Media: For further information, contact Dr Pachana on (07) 3365 6832 or n.pachana@psy.uq.edu.au or Beth O’Brien on (07) 3365 8820 or beth.obrien@uq.edu.au.
