Mayo Clinic finds new type of memory loss that’s often mistaken for Alzheimer’s

Scientists at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota say they have identified a new type of memory loss.

Limbic-predominant amnestic neurodegenerative syndrome, or LANS, affects the brain's limbic system, which helps to regulate emotions and behavior.

The syndrome is very similar to Alzheimer’s disease, but doesn’t progress as quickly and has a "better prognosis," according to a Mayo Clinic press release.

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The researchers used data from more than 200 patients from the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging and the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative to create a set of criteria that can be used to diagnose LANS. 

The criteria include factors like age, brain scans, memory loss symptoms and certain biological markers, the researchers noted.

The findings were published in the journal Brain Communications on Wednesday.

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David T. Jones, M.D., a Mayo Clinic neurologist and senior author of the study, said his team sees patients with symptoms of memory loss every day.

Before these criteria, analyzing brain tissue after a patient’s death was the only way to diagnose the syndrome.

"I’ve been seeing these patients for over a decade, where it’s clear what is going on is different from typical Alzheimer’s disease," he told Fox News Digital via email. 

"This paper is putting our clinical expertise into a precise framework that others can use to care for their patients."

Jones said that in many cases, "it’s clear there is an issue with memory, which is then diagnosed as Alzheimer’s disease — but then a biomarker test or other test would show it was not Alzheimer’s."

Added the doctor, "Typically, the most a doctor could say was, ‘I know what you don’t have.’ Now we have answers." 

Nick Corriveau-Lecavalier, PhD, the paper's first author, further explained the difference between LANS and Alzheimer’s in the release.

"Historically, you might see someone in their 80s with memory problems and think they may have Alzheimer's disease, and that is often how it's being thought of today," Corriveau-Lecavalier said. 

LANS is a different syndrome that happens much later in life, he noted. 

"Often, the symptoms are restricted to memory and will not progress to impact other cognitive domains, so the prognosis is better than with Alzheimer's disease."

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The goal is for doctors to use these findings to create more personalized therapies for patients suffering from LANS, to better manage their cognitive symptoms, according to the researchers.

Rebecca M. Edelmayer, PhD, senior director of scientific engagement at the Alzheimer's Association in Chicago, reacted positively to the findings.

"This research exemplifies the great need to develop objective criteria for diagnosis and staging of Alzheimer’s and all other types of dementia, and to create an integrated biological and clinical staging scheme that can be used effectively by physicians," Edelmayer, who was not involved in the research, told Fox News Digital via email. 

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The hope is that biomarkers will eventually be available to help distinguish between different types of dementia, she said, but until then, this "clinical criteria" will help doctors offer a "more personalized approach" to care and treatment.

The research was funded in part by the National Institutes of Health.