Earlier, less-expensive dementia screening is goal of SA Medical Foundation-funded study
Posted on: Monday, May 3rd, 2021
Detecting dementia earlier — and at much lower cost — is the goal of a San Antonio Medical Foundation grant awarded to The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio), The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) and the South Texas Veterans Health Care System.
The project will focus on Hispanics due to their risk of developing dementia earlier and living with it longer on average than other population groups in the U.S.
“Understanding dementia is important for all, but it might be even more beneficial for Hispanics in particular,” said Mohamad Habes, PhD, of the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health San Antonio. Dr. Habes is co-principal investigator of the grant.
The team will collect magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and electroencephalography (EEG) data from 100 patients. “We are focusing 100% on Hispanics,” Dr. Habes said.
The study is seeking Hispanic individuals ages 55-89 who suffer from dementia, as well as others in that age range who have no diagnosis of dementia and would be enrolled as healthy controls. Participants will undergo a brief MRI scan as well as an electroencephalogram to measure brain-wave activity. The results of these tests will be used toward testing and refining the algorithm.
To read the article, visit the UT Health San Antonio Newsroom.