Amyloid plaques build up on one side of the brain, responsible for language and communication, in patients with primary progressive aphasia, or PPA, a finding researchers said will help in diagnosing and treating the condition. Researchers at Northwestern University found the plaques build up primarily on the left side of the brain using a new type of positron emission topography, or PET, scans that detect amyloids. ADVERTISING A combination of computed tomography, or CT, scans and cognitive memory or language tests have typically been used to diagnose Alzheimer’s and other dementia-type conditions. The method has been somewhat effective in diagnosing patients, though the only way to confirm the disease is examination of the brain after death.
Source: Scientists image brains of patients with language dementia – UPI.com