Mentis Cura, headquartered in Reykjavík, has developed an electroencephalography (EEG) statistical pattern recognition software to help diagnose and track the process of Alzheimer’s disease in its early stages. 

Gerontologist Jón Snædal told ruv.is that a treatment for Alzheimer’s including an antidote against loss of protein which causes the disease is under development.

Jón stated it is therefore great to have the tools to diagnose the disease early. “We are perhaps talking about two to three years [until treatment can begin] if the plans that are currently on the table work out.”

He pointed out that there will always be a need for multiple methods to diagnose Alzheimer’s but said the new software is an important addition to the process as well as being simple and inexpensive.

Mentis Cura’s design allows the software to run on any EEG machine and can be used in almost any hospital, clinic or doctor’s office, as stated on the company’s website.

The EEG results can be sent electronically to a specialist or neurologist for analysis. The total test takes approximately 30 to 45 minutes.

Statistics show that in the U.S. ten percent of people over 65 and 50 percent over 85 will develop Alzheimer’s disease.

Because of how many people will be affected by the disease several companies and research centers have been developing diagnostic EEG software specific to Alzheimer’s. 

ESA