Utah State researcher conducts new study for early dementia detection
LOGAN, Utah (Good Things Utah) – Alzheimer’s is the 4th leading cause of death in Utah. Because of this, Utah State University recently became home to a state-funded Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Research Center aimed at increasing research across the state to find ways to better understand Alzheimer’s and dementia, and better understand how to best support people living with these diseases. The ADRC opened in 2022, funded by a bill from the State Legislature.
Dr. Beth Fauth, Executive Director of the Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Research Center at Utah State University has partnered with Sydney Schaefer, associate professor in the School of Biological Health Systems at Arizona State University, and Jill Love, a geriatric care manager and co-owner of Neurosessments, to improve early dementia detection with a simple, non-invasive motor test. The test has already been shown to detect neuropathology and neurodegeneration in older adults who exhibit little to no symptoms of dementia.
With the help of a significant grant, Dr. Fauth’s team is able to develop and test the reliability of a clinical version of the assessment, referred to as the Quick Behavioral Exam to Advance Neuropsychological Screening (qBEANS) which can be administered by a nurse or medical assistant during a senior adult’s routine visit to the doctor. Fauth will use students at Utah State University as well as older adults in the community to test qBEANS in a mock clinical setting to determine if a new digital scoring system will be easy for medical technicians to navigate. Love will also test the product in a diverse ethnic sample in the Los Angeles area, assessing if a two-minute clinical test yields scores that are similar to the seven-minute laboratory test.
How can this help? Individuals who show they are prone to dementia will be able to plan ahead of time for the onset of symptoms and their care and will allow family members to prepare as well.
The second phase of the study is about to launch at USU. To learn more visis cehs.usu.edu/adrc.
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