“The very first bell”: scientists have found the earliest sign of Alzheimer’s disease – how to understand that a person is on the brink of an abyss

Neurology publishes the results of a scientific study

At the University of California, researchers have found a sign that may be the first indicator of a high risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. it was the reduction of the hippocampus, a special area of ​​the brain responsible for spatial navigation, emotions, and memory.

With age, everyone’s hippocampus shrinks, but only slightly. Significant volume loss in this area indicates progression of the disease.

The person himself, not yet knowing that he is beginning to lose his personality, already experiences difficulties with remembering, can sometimes be briefly lost in space, he changes emotionally – some become very sentimental, others become completely indifferent or hot-tempered, aggressive.

Reduction of the hippocampus occurs at an early stage, when a specific protein has not yet been detected to accurately confirm a disappointing diagnosis.

Researchers intend to use the discovery for early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, when a person can still be provided with medical support that slows down the process of loss of cognitive functions, writes Neurology.