Suddenly getting lost, failing to recognize family members, or forgetting words and names are well-known symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. Psychologists have now discovered that the disease also manifests in more subtle ways: through the rhythm of finger tapping.
Neuropsychologists Vincent Koppelmans and Marit Ruitenberg conduct research on the relationship between the brain and movement and how various diseases influence both."Many studies on Alzheimer's primarily focus on cognitive symptoms like forgetfulness or major motor problems such as impaired balance.
Marit Ruitenberg is an assistant professor at the unit of Health, Medical, and Neuropsychology, and investigates the role of the brain in the movement of our bodies. Vincent Koppelmans is a research assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Utah, and he researches how disease and aging affect the structure and function of the brain.
Koppelmans states,"Existing diagnostic tests for Alzheimer's work very well. Doctors use PET scans to measure the presence of specific proteins in the brain, and MRI scans measure the size of the hippocampus. These are two strong indicators of Alzheimer's. But these methods are expensive and somewhat invasive."
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