Virtual reality can help spot Alzheimer's disease, research finds

Virtual reality can help spot Alzheimer's by testing patients' ability to navigate a computer-simulated world, research finds Researchers believe they can detect Alzheimer’s disease through a VR test Patients would have to wear a headset and navigate a course through a VR world They hope the findings will lead to an app which could help diagnose the disease

By Courtney Barlett For The Daily Mail

Published: 01:26 BST, 24 May 2019 | Updated: 01:26 BST, 24 May 2019

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Virtual reality will soon be able to help detect Alzheimer’s disease by asking patients to step into a computer-simulated world, research suggests.

Scientists believe they can better identify the disease its early stages using technology than with the current ‘gold standard’ cognitive tests currently used, The Times reported.

They hope the findings could one day help them develop a smartphone app that could help diagnose the disorder at home.

Scientists asked 45 patients with memory problems to take part, and collected cerebrospinal fluid samples to look for signs of Alzheimer’s. Remarkably, the 12 who tested positive for biological markers of dementia performed much worse than those not at risk [File photo]

Research from the University of Cambridge shows the new method can accurately distinguish Alzheimer’s in people with memory problems 90 per cent of the time.

This compares with 55 per cent for the current pen-and-paper tests.

Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, affecting around 500,000 Britons. Scientists still have not nailed down what causes it and a cure is yet to be found.

The focus is on developing techniques which can catch the condition at an earlier stage. And