Scientists discover Alzheimer's onset could be delayed

People at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease may be able to delay the onset of symptoms, according to research scientists at the University of Montreal.

Around 465,000 people in the UK live with this form of dementia and approximately 62,000 people develop it every year, making finding effective treatments a real concern for the healthcare sector.

A study published in Brain: A Journal of Neurology suggested that although a cure remains a long way off, there may be simple, but effective methods of slowing the progress of the disease in those at risk of developing Alzheimer's.

Research scientists from the university carried out tests on 30 elderly subjects - half of them with mild cognitive impairment - to discover whether it is possible to slow the decline in brain plasticity.

They discovered that something as simple as a memory training programme helped to stimulate activity in areas of the brain usually associated with memory, but also in other parts of the brain, such as those used for language processing and skill learning.

Dr Sylvie Belleville, who led the team of scientists, suggested evidence of this ability to reorganise and retrain the brain could pave the way for the development of new lifestyle and pharmacological treatments to delay the onset of Alzheimer's.