Routine screening for Alzheimer's proposed

People aged over 60 should be offered routine screening for Alzheimer's disease, enabling people to spot symptoms earlier and halt its progress, a senior psychiatrist has said.

Professor Barbara Sahakian, professor of clinical neuropsychology at the University of Cambridge, said progress in the field of "biomarkers" - disease indicators that can be found in blood tests or brain scans - will make routine screening a much more effective strategy in the near future.

"I am shocked some people are allowed to deteriorate so much and then finally someone figures out that they probably have Alzheimer's disease and takes them to the GP and psychiatrist," said Professor Sahakian.

"By that time the drugs don't work as effectively."

It follows the results of a poll released by the Alzheimer's Society, which found that dementia is not taken seriously enough by the public.

Find out more about Alzheimer's disease care at Barchester homes.