麻豆传媒

A newly identified form of dementia causes similar symptoms to Alzheimer鈥檚 disease, but is actually a separate condition that only mimics Alzheimer鈥檚.

provides the most comprehensive scientific look yet at Limbic-predominant Age-related TDP-43 Encephalopathy, or LATE.

• Read more on the study and what scientists have learned about LATE

Dr. Mario Masellis, a neurologist and aging specialist at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, told 麻豆传媒 that it is important for people to be aware that there are multiple explanations for Alzheimer鈥檚-like symptoms.

鈥淓ven though a patient over the age of 65 may have symptoms that look like Alzheimer鈥檚 disease, the underlying brain changes may not be Alzheimer鈥檚 or may be due to Alzheimer鈥檚 disease and other pathologies, including this one,鈥� he said.

According to Masellis, the study also suggests that patients diagnosed with Alzheimer鈥檚 based on current medical best practices may instead of LATE or another form of dementia.

鈥淭his 鈥� is most certainly an important contributing factor to why clinical trials to date in Alzheimer鈥檚 have failed,鈥� he said.

While the finding is big news in the medical community, Masellis cautioned that it may not mean much for individual patients at this point. The big hope is that the discovery could lead to the development of new treatments for Alzheimer鈥檚 or LATE.