SCIENTISTS IN THE University of Limerick have been awarded €5.4 million to work on a high-tech microscope which may help with early detection of Alzheimer’s Disease.

The team of researchers will develop a nanoscope, a powerful microscope which will allow the screening of patient cells for Alzheimer’s disease.

More than 44,000 people in Ireland are affected by Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Around 7.7 million new cases of dementia are diagnosed each year around the world, meaning there is a new case found roughly every four seconds.

There is currently no test to screen for the disease. The World Alzheimer Report last year said that the current lack of early detection was a significant barrier to improving the lives of people with Alzheimer’s, their families and carers.

The UL team are leading a Europe-wide group in developing the nanoscope, which uses infra-red radiation as a way to screen patient cells for the disease.

“Early detection of Alzheimer’s is critical in developing effective treatments for the disease and there is currently no test available,” said Dr Syed Tofail, the lead scientist on the project.

“Our technique would be able to detect Alzheimer’s-related amyloid plaques in the early stage with much more detail”.

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