An international team of researchers, led by University College London (UCL), determined that a five-minute scan might detect a person's risk of dementia, well before symptoms of the disease emerge.

Using ultrasound scanners, the research team observed blood vessels in the necks of over 3,000 participants, monitoring them over the course of 15 years. According to the findings, participants with the most intense pulses eventually experienced greater cognitive decline, a possible precursor to dementia, over the following decade than their counterparts who had less intense pulses.

The team concluded that the more intense the pulse traveling toward the brain, the more damage it can inflict on the small vessels of the brain, causing structural changes in the brain’s blood vessel network as well as causing mini stokes.

Researchers monitored the memory and problem-solving abilities of the participants, determining that those participants with the highest intensity pulses at the start of the study were 50% more likely to display accelerated cognitive decline over the following decade, compared to lower pulse intensity participants.

Hoping that the test could one day offer a new way to spot those at greater risk of developing dementia, researchers believe that the scans might lead to earlier treatments and lifestyle interventions well before symptoms begin to emerge.

Dr Scott Chiesa, from UCL, said: "Dementia is the end result of decades of damage, so by the time people get dementia it's too late to do anything.

"What we're trying to say is you need to get in as early as possible, identify a way to see who's actually progressing towards possibly getting dementia and target them."