New Atlas

Science Audio available

Two-stage diagnostic process detects Alzheimer’s years before symptoms appear

Rich Haridy May 5, 2019

A new two-step diagnostic process is claiming to confidently detect Alzheimer's disease nearly a decade before clinical symptoms appear. It's hoped that the method will improve the results of clinical trials by helping better identify patients at the earliest stages of the disease.

Klaus Gerwert (left) and Andreas Nabers suggest this new two-step diagnostic process will help Alzheimer's clinical ...

Medical Audio available

Stanford innovation brings blood test for chronic fatigue syndrome one step closer

Rich Haridy April 29, 2019

For decades, sufferers of chronic fatigue syndrome have battled to prove this illness is not a psychological condition, but in fact an actual biological disease. Now a team has developed a new type of blood test that could offer doctors the first diagnostic tool to identify it.

Doctors may soon be able to identify sufferers of chronic fatigue syndrome using a blood test

Medical

Sweat-collecting bandage could replace blood sampling

Ben Coxworth April 17, 2019

Nobody likes having blood samples taken, which is why we've seen a number of devices that gather sweat from the skin and then analyze it. An inexpensive new bandage-like biosensor simplifies that concept, as it doesn't incorporate any electronic components.

The biosensor before (left) and after collecting and reacting to sweat

Medical Audio available

Motorized finger-bender designed to detect Parkinson's disease

Ben Coxworth April 10, 2019

Because it doesn't show up in either blood tests or brain scans, Parkinson's disease can be frustratingly difficult to diagnose. A new device could help, however, by repeatedly bending the patient's finger. It may make diagnoses easier, and allow treatment to start earlier.

A diagram of the BiRD, which could provide simpler and earlier Parkinson's diagnoses

Health & Wellbeing

Skin test shows promise for identifying predisposition to mental illness

Ben Coxworth March 12, 2019

Post traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety can all be quite serious conditions, but it's often difficult to determine who may be prone to developing them. New research suggests that in order to find out, we should perhaps look to a person's skin.

Tests utilizing skin conductance sensors may be able to identify individuals who are at risk of ...

Medical Audio available

Alzheimer's eye test could catch the disease before symptoms appear

Rich Haridy March 11, 2019

A compelling new study has reported that statistically significant differences can be identified in the retinas of patients with Alzheimer's disease. The finding paves the way for a future where the disease could be diagnosed from a simple eye scan before major symptoms appear.

A newly published study adds weight to the growing body of evidence suggesting cognitive decline can ...

Science Audio available

Microfluidic device promises cheap and fast detection of cancer cells in blood

Rich Haridy February 25, 2019

A team of scientists from the University of Illinois at Chicago and Queensland University of Technology in Australia has demonstrated a new, cheap and fast device that can detect floating cancer cells in a tiny blood sample.

The prototype device can detect over 90 percent of circulating tumor cells in a tiny blood ...

Good Thinking Audio available

Fidget spinners could be used for cheap, off-the-grid blood testing

Ben Coxworth January 25, 2019

When it comes to frivolous gadgets, fidget spinners would seem to be one of the most … well, frivolous. Recently, however, scientists from National Taiwan University discovered that the devices could be used for blood sample analysis in impoverished regions.

Fidget spinners typically only cost a few dollars

Medical Audio available

Malaria spit-test promises detection up to a week before symptoms appear

Rich Haridy January 6, 2019

A team of researchers have revealed an innovative new salvia test that promises to quickly and cheaply screen for the presence of malaria parasites up to a week before any symptoms appear.

It's hoped a new saliva test that offers early detection of malaria will reach the market ...

Medical

Cancer breath testing moves into large clinical trials

Rich Haridy January 2, 2019

A clinical trial is launching in the UK to test a new Breath Biopsy technology with the goal of finding molecular biomarkers in breath samples that can be used to diagnose a variety of different cancers.

The two year study will try to capture breath signatures unique to a handful of different ...