Researchers at Mayo Clinic have set new criteria for identifying a memory-loss syndrome in older adults that affects the brain’s limbic system, potentially being mistaken for Alzheimer’s disease. This syndrome, known as Limbic-predominant Amnestic Neurodegenerative Syndrome (LANS), progresses more slowly and has a better prognosis. The criteria provide a clearer definition for doctors working with memory loss patients.
Previously, the diagnosis of this syndrome could only be confirmed posthumously by examining brain tissue. The newly proposed clinical criteria, published in the journal Brain Communications, offer a framework for neurologists to classify the condition in living patients more accurately, considering factors like age, severity of memory impairment, brain scans, and specific protein deposits in the brain.
The criteria were developed using data from over 200 participants in databases from the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging, and the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative.
Understanding this condition will lead to better symptom management and tailored therapies for patients experiencing cognitive decline different from Alzheimer’s disease, according to Dr. David T. Jones, the senior author of the study.
Decades of research have gone into classifying various types of dementia, and this work continues. These new findings contribute to ongoing efforts to distinguish between neurological conditions with similar symptoms but different treatments and prognoses.
The research also identified a possible culprit in the form of a protein known as TDP-43 found in the limbic system of older adults. This protein accumulation, referred to as limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy (LATE), could be linked to the newly discovered memory loss syndrome, among other potential causes needing further investigation.
With the established clinical criteria, practitioners may soon diagnose LANS in patients, providing them with better insights into treatment options and disease progression, paving the way for further research.
The research received funding from various sources, including the National Institutes of Health and several foundations, with no conflicts of interest reported by the authors.
