New Uni of Essex Alzheimer's study into early dementia

Lead researcher Dr Vanessa Loaiza said they hope to distinguish between "an ordinary 'senior moment' and something a lot more serious"

A new study of people living "on the frontline" of the early stages of Alzheimer's could help identify early dementia symptoms, researchers said.

Staff at the University of Essex will hold Zoom calls to explore how retaining information in the "working memory" is affected by the condition.

They hope that by using "simple exercises" they can compare the results from those with the disease and "healthy older adults".

The results are expected in the summer.

The university said about 150 people would take part in the study, which would focus on working memory, "which is what we use when doing mental arithmetic".

Healthy older adults tend to struggle with tasks requiring working memory - such as reading, listening and problem-solving, which can impact their day-to-day lives, they said.

"Clearly distinguishing normal forgetfulness from dementia will help scientists and medical professionals catch and treat the condition early in its progression," the university said.

Lead researcher Dr Vanessa Loaiza said: "This study will help us learn more about Alzheimer's from the people on the frontline of the disease.

"We know how devastating a diagnosis can be and that's why we are using Zoom to make it as easy as possible for them to join our study from the comfort of their own homes.

"Although it is early stages, this research could help us find the difference between an ordinary 'senior moment' and something a lot more serious."