A brainwave test that can detect the risk of Alzheimer's disease early in just 3 minutes has been introduced.

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The British daily The Guardian recently reported on "Fastball," a brainwave test jointly clinically tested by the University of Bath and the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom. Fastball was found to identify patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) who are at high risk of progressing to Alzheimer's disease.

This test uses an electroencephalogram (EEG) method, which records the brain's electrical activity by attaching small sensors to the scalp. While the subject views hundreds of images that rapidly appear on a screen, the brain's automatic responses are measured.

The test involved 54 healthy adults and 52 patients with MCI. MCI patients are individuals who have issues with memory, thinking, and language skills, but do not experience significant difficulties in daily life.

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The analysis showed that patients with "amnestic MCI," whose memory-related functions are particularly impaired, exhibited significantly reduced brainwave responses compared to healthy individuals or those with non-amnestic MCI. It is known that patients with amnestic MCI are more likely to progress to Alzheimer's disease.

This test could not confirm the progression of Alzheimer's disease. However, experts described this study as "an early step toward the development of a clinically usable test." Future tasks include determining whether this test can predict changes in a patient's condition and whether it can actually assist in treatment planning.

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Dr. George Stothart of the University of Bath, who developed the test, explained, "Our new passive memory measurement method, designed for Alzheimer's diagnosis, has shown that it can sensitively respond even to high-risk patients who have not yet been diagnosed."

A representative from the Alzheimer's Research Association told The Guardian, "Early diagnosis is crucial because treatments for Alzheimer's dementia are more effective in the early stages," emphasizing, "Long-term studies involving more diverse populations are needed."