Inability to identify famous faces helps spot early dementia

Researchers from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine say that faces of famous personalities such as Oprah Winfrey , Princess Diana, Queen Elizabeth and Albert Einstein could be used to test whether the person is afflicted or has looming signs of dementia . The study, reported in the journal Neurology, found that inability to recognize the most popular personalities may well be an indicator of impending dementia. The researchers conducted the tests to check for a rare form of dementia called primary progressive aphasia (PPA), which usually affects people as young as 40. The study For the purpose of the study, researchers enrolled 30 people diagnosed with PPA and 27 without the condition. The average age of participants was 62 years. Participants were shown images of famous personalities and were given points for each face they could name. In case they could not name the face, they were asked to identify the person through description. Researchers found that people w

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