Can a simple blood test be possible to screen for Alzheimer’s disease and other brain conditions? New research discussed at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) last month suggests that reliable, low cost blood serum analysis for brain biomarkers is a possibility within the next decade or so. Blood tests are an attractive screening option… Read More »
I’m at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) in Boston this week, and one of the most discussed topics is the power of brain imaging tests to detect amyloid beta protein in the brain, one of the main hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease pathology. Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging tests can identify amyloid beta deposits in… Read More »
With sophisticated brain imaging tests now making their way out of research labs or clinical trials, and into the doctor’s office, both patients and physicians will have to confront some important ethical and legal questions on how these tests are used. That’s the message from a seminar on amyloid imaging, hosted by the American Academy… Read More »
Rising Dementia Rates are a Global Health Trend A positive aspect of rising living standards in most of the world has been a significant improvement in worldwide average life expectancies, increasing from 52 years in 1960 to 69 years in 2009. Regional differences are even more striking — the average life expectancy for a person… Read More »
After the disaster known as bapineuzumab Phase III, I think it’s time to seriously question whether clearing amyloid beta deposits from the brain has any therapeutic benefit to Alzheimer’s patients. The bapi Phase III results speak with a resounding “No”. We are still awaiting Phase III results from Eli Lilly’s solanezumab, but the current prognosis… Read More »
A research team at Washington University School of Medicine just published the results of a study that looked at a number of cognitive changes and biomarkers that can be used to predict the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease long before symptoms appear – in some cases up to 20 years before symptom onset. The study, published… Read More »