An Alzheimer’s diagnosis test that could have profound telecare implications

Significant progress on early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s is reported today by Fierce Diagnostics.  The Cognoptix test involves a laser eye-scanning device and an ophthalmic ointment, according to their website, designed to spot telltale beta-amyloid proteins in the lens of the eye.

The excitement in the article is about the possibility of increasing drug sales; the ability to deploy drugs to delay progression of the disease would clearly be very important. However, whilst perhaps less commercially significant, there would be some huge benefits for telecare deployment too in terms of improving the ability of such people to remain living independently.  As practitioners will know, anyone with significant dementia loses the ability to adapt to new technology so, to be truly effective, telecare to help someone with dementia needs to be introduced as early as possible in the progression of the condition, so that they can still learn how to use it. This test offers the possibility of that earlier diagnosis.