Your partner is ‘more likely to spot the earliest signs of Alzheimer’s than your doctor’

YOUR spouse is likely to spot Alzheimer’s before your doctor, according to a study. Experts suggest a husband or wife may notice behaviour changes quicker than brain problems show up on scans or in doctors’ appointments. The research involved 675 people and found those whose spouse complained about their memory were more likely to develop brain damage.

They had a higher chance of doctors later finding tangled clumps of a protein called tau , which is believed to kill off brain cells in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Regular scans showed loved ones spotted changes even in the “preclinical” phase where medics would struggle to see a problem. Study author Dr Rebecca Amariglio, from Harvard Medical School in the US, said: “Our study found early suspicions of memory problems by participants and the people who knew them well were linked to higher levels of tau tangles in the brain.

“Understanding the earliest signs of Alzheimer’s disease is even more important now that new drugs are becoming available.” The study, in the journal Neurology, questioned participants with an average age of 72, and also partners or close family. They were asked whether the person’s memory was getting worse, and doctors compared the responses to PET brain scans.

Dementia is the leading cause of death in Britain and around a million people have the condition. Two thirds of cases are caused by Alzheimer’s disease , which scientists believe is caused by a build-up of toxic proteins .