New Research Brings New Avenues for Targeted Treatment and Early Detection of Alzheimer’s

It may come as a surprise to find that Alzheimer’s and hearing loss can often go hand in hand; without hearing the information you need to register, your brain fills in the gaps or forgets what wasn’t heard altogether, leading to swathes of information you don’t recall hearing. 

Alzheimer’s has no cure, but a silver lining emerges from a recent study that details a potential for earlier detection and treatment of Alzheimer’s – potentially saving years of gradual brain damage without treatment. 

Symptoms and Phases 

The trouble with diagnosing Alzheimer’s is that quite often, damage to the brain happens before noticeable symptoms occur. With the ability to detect early changes, the earliest phases of Alzheimer’s are no longer invisible. 

According to a National Institutes of Health-funded study, Alzheimer’s affects our brain in two phases: a silent phase with subtle changes and a symptomatic phase where widespread damage to the brain is more visible. 

The first phase is marked by unnoticeable changes to the brain’s cells, especially those associated with memory, language, and vision. With this new research, the death of these cells challenges previous research and paves the way to find out more about this invisible disease. 

The second phase is vastly different and rapidly causes deterioration to the brain, including memory loss, cognitive decline, confusion, and increased levels of inflammation. This is the time that symptoms become more prevalent and noticeable. 

Quick Diagnosis, Early Treatment Targets 

This groundbreaking research significantly changes our understanding of how Alzheimer’s changes the brain and will guide future treatment developments with the recognition of distinct phases of Alzheimer’s and its effects on the brain.  

Evaluating the first phase of Alzheimer’s, often missed or unnoticed, can address the changes to the brain and slow, delay, or prevent the second phase, which is more destructive and painful for the person dealing with the symptoms. 

With the long presymptomatic period that can cause irreparable damage to the brain, early detection and treatment will be crucial to helping address and even prevent the symptomatic phase of Alzheimer’s. 

Address Hearing Concerns and Cognitive Health Today 

Hearing challenges can lead to struggles of cognitive decline and potential for a higher risk of Alzheimer’s or dementia symptoms.