Long Loop Reflexes in Patients with Probable Alzheimer's Disease and Frontotemporal Dementia of Behavioral Type

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We have now started having a longer expectation of life. This has to be a resource for Nation building like the way it was several centuries ago when the knowledge and wisdom of the elder persons was the guiding light of the Nation. But now we are worried about people living longer with serious diseases the most important being Dementia. As per WHO statistics, the number of people suffering with dementia will almost double every 20 years, of which maximum burden is likely to be in India and China. As per report of United Nations Population Division (UN 2011) percentage of elderly population in India will rise from 8% in 2010 to 19% in 2050.Early diagnosis of dementia at MCI stage is important as it allows planning methods to slow down to the process progressing to dependency stage. There is need to develop biomarkers which are inexpensive, non-invasive and easily available to the common man. In this study we have made an attempt to use Long Loop Reflex (LLR) as an innovative new, simple, cheap and easily available biomarker for the diagnosis of early dementia of Alzheimer (AD) and Fronto-Temporal type (FTD). Although dementia can be classified definitely on basis of neuropathology during autopsy and rarely with biopsy in a living patient it is generally a clinicoradiological diagnosis who's precision can be improved by biomarkers.