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Published online 14 October 2007 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news.2007.162
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Blood proteins may diagnose Alzheimer's
A simple test could one day help target early treatments.
A survey of Alzheimer’s patients has identified some distinctive proteins in the blood that could be used to diagnose the disease more effectively. Earlier and more definitive diagnoses are wanted to help target treatments — both existing and experimental.
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excellent work, I think they should increase the sample size and look for the flag proteins without the knowledge of case-control status
Very nice!
a new hope,its very good
Surely it is a good news! Unfortunately, in recognizing on very large scale early Alzheimer's disease, even its Inherited Real Risk,we need CLINICAL tool, as that I described formerly, allowing doctor to bedside diagnose Alzheimer's disease real risk and early disorder with the aid of a stethoscope: http://clinmed.netprints.org/cgi/eletters/2001100005v1#9 Alzheimer's Disease Byophysical Semeiotics supports the pathophysiology of Koudiniv's theory.11 January 2002, Stagnaro Sergio,as well as the article in www.semeioticabiofisica.it Sergio Stagnaro MD, Italy, 16 October, 2007
This may be an important scientific development and it may eventually lead to usful interventions. But please do not pretend that it is of benefit to patients now. There are no treatments that do more than alleviate symptoms to a small and temporary extent. Most patients would rather not know the dreadful fate in store until they absolutley have to. The idea that early diaganosis is always a good thing may be derived from other diseases where intervention can really help but it is not automatically true.
I would prefer to know, before it gets too serious, if I have Alzheimer's. There may not be any physiologic intervention to halt the course of the disease, but there are many steps that an affected person and their family and friends can take to lessen the impact of the disease. It may not be easy to hear, but I would rather be prepared for dementia and memory loss than just have my life fall apart. I applaud this research and hope it continues to develop.
One of the mystery is going to be solved. I hope this will help to put an end to the untimely deaths of many people with Alzheimer’s disease. I think it is a nice clue to solve the problem of Alzheimer’s disease.
There is a test already available that can predict Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders, based on results of a normal MRI scan. A product in routine use at UCSD in La Jolla, CA can help neurologists determine with at least as high a degree of accuracy as this new blood test, whether patients are suffering from MCI, Alzheimer's or have completely normal brains. A friend of mine in Coronado went in for this scan and found out that she does NOT have Alzheimer's disease, which is what she and her family had feared most.