Alzheimer’s specialists might soon have a new set of tools for diagnosing the brain-wasting disease well before symptoms appear, but so far no effective treatments have been found, raising questions about how the tests should be used.
Radioactive imaging agents that can light up Alzheimer’s proteins on brain scans are already in late-stage clinical trials. And a Belgian team this week said it was able to accurately spot early signs of Alzheimer’s disease by measuring levels of disease-related proteins in spinal fluid. Alzheimer’s experts largely agree the disease can be detected as many as 10 years before people show signs of serious memory impairments. Read more…
