Scientists at the Minnesota Mayo Clinic say they have identified a new kind of memory loss.
Limbic-predominant amnestic neurodegenerative syndrome, LANS, affects the limbic system of the brain, which helps regulate behavior and emotions.
The syndrome is similar to Alzheimer’s disease but does not progress as rapidly and has a “better prognosis,” according to a press release from the Mayo Clinic.
Researchers used data from over 200 patients from the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, and the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging to create a criteria set for diagnosing LANS.
The researchers noted that the criteria include factors like grain scans, specific biological markers, age, and symptoms of memory loss.
The findings were published in the journal Brain Communications.
Mayo Clinic neurologist and senior study author David T. Jones, M.D., said his team sees patients with memory loss symptoms every day.
Before these criteria, analyzing the tissue of the brain following a patient’s death was the only way to diagnose the syndrome.
“I’ve been seeing these patients for over a decade, where it’s clear what is going on is different from typical Alzheimer’s disease,” said Jones. “This paper is putting our clinical expertise into a precise framework that others can use to care for their patient.”
In many cases, Jones said, “it’s clear there is a memory issue, which is then diagnosed as Alzheimer’s disease — but then a biomarker test or other test would show it was not Alzheimer’s.”
“Typically, the most a doctor could say was, ‘I know what you don’t have.’ Now we have answers,” said the doctor.
The paper’s first author, Nick Corriveau-Lecavalier, explained the difference between Alzheimer’s and LANS further in the release.
“Typically, the most a doctor could say was, ‘I know what you don’t have.’ Now we have answers. Historically, you might see someone in their 80s with memory problems and think they may have Alzheimer’s disease, and that is often how it’s being thought of today,” said Corriveau-Lecavalier.
LANS is a different syndrome that occurs much later in life, noted Corriveau-Lacavalier.
“Often, the symptoms are restricted to memory and will not progress to impact other cognitive domains, so the prognosis is better than with Alzheimer’s disease.”
According to the researchers, the goal is for doctors to use these findings to create more personalized therapies for patients suffering from LANS and better manage their cognitive symptoms.
Senior director of scientific engagement at the Alzheimer’s Association in Chicago, Rebecca M. Edelmayer, PhD, reacted positively to the findings.
“This research exemplifies the great need to develop objective criteria for diagnosis and staging of Alzheimer’s and all other types of dementia and to create an integrated biological and clinical staging scheme that can be used effectively by physicians,” said Edelmayer, who was not involved in the research.
She said the hope is that biomarkers will eventually be available to help distinguish between different dementia types, but until then, these “clinical criteria” will help physicians offer a “more personalized approach” to treatment and care.
