Scientists in Southampton achieve breakthrough in dementia diagnosis after 10 years research

  • ITV News Meridian's Richard Slee spoke to researchers at the University of Southampton about the breakthrough.

Scientists in Southampton have developed a new test which can reduce the time of getting a dementia diagnosis from years to a matter of minutes.

The new test, using lasers, is being hailed as a significant breakthrough in medical technology that will benefit thousands of patients.

Researchers at the University of Southampton have taken ten years to develop a system where they shine multiple lasers on a drop of blood.

The blood is then analysed by a computer programme, which not only detects whether the patient has dementia, but also if someone might develop the disease in the future - and what type of dementia it would be.

  • Leading the research, is Prof Sumeet Mahajan, who says this is a huge step forward.

Prof Sumeet Mahajan from the University of Southampton said: "No one has ever approached it in this manner.

What is different is that we are not looking at one single component, not one protein or one marker, we look at everything.

"We look at whatever is contained in that drop of blood, protein, sugar, fat or lipids or metabolites and the varying concentration of that composition tells us what might be happening."

A laser tests the blood of a patient showing signs of dementia Credit: ITV News Meridian

The research is called the Hope project because an early test to identify whether someone has, or will get dementia many years before symptoms start to develop, will have huge benefits for treatment.

Andy and Susan Thompson, who live near Winchester, endured two years of uncertainty before Andy was finally diagnosed with Alzheimer's after having a lumbar puncture test.

Susan said: "It wasn't very quick at all. After a lot of backwards and forwards, they decided to send him for a lumbar puncture, and it was almost a year before we got the results."

Andy added that the new test, means he could have received his diagnosis after just a simple blood test, which would have been much easier for him.

He said: " [Getting a lumbar puncture test] is a serious thing to do. It involves having a specimen of material taken from your body, very near to the spine. It could go horribly wrong. It's a bit of a risk."

Brain scan of a patient with dementia Credit: ITV News Meridian

Consultant Neurologist Professor Chris Kipps from University Hospital Southampton said: "If patients like Andy are diagnosed early, then they could potentially receive treatments to slow down the disease and have more time to prepare for the future."

The new test is also cheaper than any other diagnostic test for dementia currently available. Also, just in the small test samples so far, the success rate is 97%.

More clinical trials will take place, and then investment is needed to raise awareness and produce the portable test kits, which is hoped to take place within the next five years.

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