Medical Breakthroughs: Mental health amid COVID-19 + New detection for Alzheimer’s Disease
The COVID-19 pandemic is taking a toll on mental health. Researchers in Australia found higher psychological distress during the peak of that country’s outbreak – including acute depression, anxiety and stress. About half of the study’s participants reported moderate to extreme loneliness.
A simple blood test may be capable of diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease years before the first symptoms appear. Researchers at Washington University have developed a technique to detect tiny amounts of a specific protein in the blood. They hope the screening tool will eventually replace brain scans and spinal taps for diagnosing Alzheimer’s.
