Researchers have revealed that a strange brain disorder, known as primary progressive aphasia (PPA), is likely to be mistaken for Alzheimer’s disease in its early phase. The reason for confusion is that PPA syndrome makes a patient forget words, but in case of Alzheimer’s disease, patients lose their memories and not words only.

Researchers said that they are on the quest to discover improved diagnostic methods for this very obscure disorder. The new methods will be aimed at assisting patients, who are very clear in their thoughts, but are not able to orally express their feelings for gaining proper care.

It has also been revealed that several doctors are unaware of this type of aphasia and it is really necessary that understanding this syndrome needs to be spread to make patients receive adequate and proper care. At present, a new research is being carried out to decelerate the advancement of this disease through the use of electrical stimulation at the brain region which has been adversely affected by PPA.

Dr. Argye Elizabeth Hillis of Johns Hopkins University said that patients suffering from PPA are not given too much of attention and care by the families since they are considered to be facing communication issues only due to their age. It is only after the patient is taken to a neurologist for check up when the real problem comes out. It is then revealed that the person is actually not repeating questions or forgetting instructions.

PPA happens when an area of brain responsible for controlling language degenerates. This leads to problems in communication and might appear somewhat similar to broader dementia. The only way to detecting the actual problem is through special MRI scans, according to Hillis. The scans can also reveal fast-paced PPA’s or those at risk of developing into Alzheimer’s disease.