An innovative but simple brainwave test developed by researchers at the University of Bath and the University of Bristol can detect early signs of memory impairment associated with Alzheimer’s disease years before a clinical diagnosis. And a recent trial of the three-minute test, called Fastball EEG, determined it can be done at home.

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According to a University of Bath newsletter, Fastball EEG records electrical activity in the brain while participants view a wide stream of images. The test uses electroencephalography (EEG) to monitor brain responses to visual stimuli, offering a fast, simple, and reliable way to assess memory function.

The study, published in the journal Brain Communications, demonstrated how a passive, inexpensive test could open the door to earlier detection and treatment for the millions of Alzheimer’s patients around the world.

HOW IT WORKS

The core idea behind the Fastball EEG is that healthy brains recognize and process familiar images differently than unfamiliar ones. When a person views a series of images, their brain generates unique electrical activity patterns depending on whether the images are novel or previously seen. In Alzheimer’s disease, even in the earliest stages, the brain’s ability to distinguish and remember familiar objects begins to deteriorate. The test can identify people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). According to the Mayo Clinic, MCI is the stage between typical thinking skills and dementia.

After the test, advanced algorithms analyze the EEG data to detect subtle differences in how the brain responds to repeated (familiar) versus new (unfamiliar) images. In people with healthy memory function, the brain shows strong, distinctive electrical signals when recognizing repeated images. In contrast, those experiencing early memory decline display weaker or altered recognition signals.

“We’re missing the first 10 to 20 years of Alzheimer’s with current diagnostic tools,” said Dr. George Stothart, a cognitive neuroscientist at the University of Bath. “Fastball offers a way to change that—detecting memory decline far earlier and more objectively, using a quick and passive test.”