Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Spinal tap and diagnosing Alzheimer's

Researchers devote a lot of time to finding ways of diagnosing Alzheimer's disease early; something that allows for prompt treatment to slow down the effects of the disease. Researchers from the University of Gothenburg have been looking at the levels of three proteins, associated with Alzheimer's disease, in the cerebrospinal fluid. They studied 750 people with mild cognitive impairment, 529 with Alzheimer's and 304 healthy people. The people with cognitive impairment were monitored for two years to see whether they went on to develop Alzheimer's. The scientists found that the three proteins (or levels thereof) accurately identified 62% of those who would go on to develop Alzheimer's and were 88% accurate at ruling it out; an accuracy level insufficient for use as a diagnostic tool.

You can find out more about this research at

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE56K5Z520090721?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews&sp=true

1 comment:

Tracy@ICARAstudy said...

Research that provides additional insight into Alzheimer’s is critical to finding a cure. For your readers in the U.S. and Canada, I wanted to share information on the ICARA Study, whose goal is to explore if an investigational drug, called Bapineuzumab, can help slow the progression of Alzheimer’s Disease. Patients and families affected by Alzheimer’s can visit www.icarastudy.com to see if they might be eligible to enroll.