Testing For Alzheimer's, Before It's Too Late

(CBS)  Approximately 5.3 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease. About a million also have memory loss called "mild cognitive impairment."

Barbara Gautier, 76 is participating in an Alzheimer's trial at New York University's Center of Excellence on Brain Aging at the Langone Medical Center.

"I'll forget the names of movies, a friend's name," Gautier told CBS Evening News medical correspondent Jon Lapook M.D.. "Sometimes the day of the week."

Gautier admits she has "senior moments". She's taking part in the study to find out if its something worse.

When Memory Loss Signals Alzheimer's

In cases of Alzheimer's, brain changes are likely to occur at least ten years before memory loss.

Proteins called amyloid and tau are thought to short-circuit communication between nerve cells and destroy brain tissue. Spinal fluid drawn from the back can reveal certain combinations of those proteins that are typical for the disease.

Today's study in the Archives of Neurology not only found those telltale signs - or biomarkers - in the spinal fluid if 90 percent of those patients with the disease, they also found them in 72 percent of those with "mild cognitive impairment."

And, most importantly, in 36 percent of people who appeared normal.

"We have to go to very early patients who have just the beginnings of Alzheimer's in their brains and those are the people we need a way to identify to test the treatments," said Stephen Ferris, M.D. of the Alzheimer's Disease Center at NYU. "That's why these spinal fluid tests are going to be extremely important over the next few years."

One way to look at it: Detecting Alzheimer's before you have symptoms is like finding high cholesterol before a heart attack.

But unlike statins for high cholesterol, we don't have any really effective treatment for Alzheimer's.

However, researchers feel some of the medicines that have failed in trial involving advanced Alzheimer's might actually work if they were given sooner.

[MinnesotaAlzWorkGroup]

Dear Katie,

We were disheartened in your reference to Alzheimer?s disease in your report last night, Monday, August 9, 2010. ?Early diagnosis would be really helpful if there were effective treatments, but since there aren?t?? In fact there are many important interventions necessary to prevent the all too common crises when symptoms in Alzheimer?s disease are unrecognized or ignored. Relationship with family and friends, decisions related to residence and retirement, management of medications and finances, driving and other safety issues, and even diet and exercise all may be adversely affected by ?untreated? Alzheimer?s disease. Effective treatment is more than giving someone a pill. Early diagnosis gives the person with Alzheimer?s disease a chance to participate in planning their own future.

Those of us working with families affected by Alzheimer?s appreciate coverage of possible medical treatment breakthroughs by CBS. We also need to build the public awareness of effective supports for people in need today. Detection, diagnosis, planning for realistic care and supports over time, and support of family caregivers have all been shown to be effective. Hold them up too.

Sincerely yours,

Minnesota Alzheimer?s Disease Working Group members

[alzMNND]

Dear Katie,

We were disheartened in your reference to Alzheimer's disease in your report last night, Monday, August 9, 2010. "Early diagnosis would be really helpful if there were effective treatments, but since there aren?t?" In fact there are many important interventions necessary to prevent the all too common crises when symptoms in Alzheimer's disease are unrecognized or ignored. Relationship with family and friends, decisions related to residence and retirement, management of medications and finances, driving and other safety issues, and even diet and exercise all may be adversely affected by "untreated" Alzheimer?s disease. Effective treatment is more than giving someone a pill. Early diagnosis gives the person with Alzheimer's disease a chance to participate in planning their own future.

Those of us working with families affected by Alzheimer's appreciate coverage of possible medical treatment breakthroughs by CBS. We also need to build the public awareness of effective supports for people in need today. Detection, diagnosis, planning for realistic care and supports over time, and support of family caregivers have all been shown to be effective. Hold them up too.

Sincerely,

Minnesota Alzheimer's Disease Working Group

[alzMNND]

Dear Katie,

We were disheartened in your reference to Alzheimer?s disease in your report last night, Monday, August 9, 2010. ?Early diagnosis would be really helpful if there were effective treatments, but since there aren?t?? In fact there are many important interventions necessary to prevent the all too common crises when symptoms in Alzheimer?s disease are unrecognized or ignored. Relationship with family and friends, decisions related to residence and retirement, management of medications and finances, driving and other safety issues, and even diet and exercise all may be adversely affected by ?untreated? Alzheimer?s disease. Effective treatment is more than giving someone a pill. Early diagnosis gives the person with Alzheimer?s disease a chance to participate in planning their own future.

Those of us working with families affected by Alzheimer?s appreciate coverage of possible medical treatment breakthroughs by CBS. We also need to build the public awareness of effective supports for people in need today. Detection, diagnosis, planning for realistic care and supports over time, and support of family caregivers have all been shown to be effective. Hold them up too.

Sincerely,

Minnesota Alzheimer?s Disease Working Group

[cktirumalai]

With cancer and heart disease the earlier the diagnosis the better the chance of a cure. It would be encouraging if this came to be true, even if to a more limited extent, of Alzheimer's.
I don't know if people who get it and those who don't can be identified on the basis of non-physiological markers and traits. There was a time when the connection between bad cholesterol (LDL) and the build-up of arterial plaque was not known. Now there are ways of keeping LDL down: statins but also diet and exercise.
Candadai Tirumalai

[pollroller1]

Well, I was going to say something, but I forgot what It was.

[californiadreaming]

Sorry folks - like I really want to know if I am going to contract this horrible disease so I can wait for 10 or 20 years in utter horror of anticipation?

The disease runs in my family - I am in my 50's - and about the last thing I would want to do is ruin what I have left of my cognitive life worrying about the inevitable. Please, surprise me with this one if I end up so unlucky!

We live in a really sick world!

[diannafaye]

I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE TESTING WITH THE SPINAL FLUID TO DETERMINE IF ONE HAS OR WILL HAVE ALZEIMER'S. IS THAT PROCEDURE DONE ANYWHERE IN TENNESSEE OR KENTUCKY? THE COST? WILL INSURANCE OF MEDICARE PAY FOR THE PROCEDURE? HOW CAN I FIND OUT ALL ABOUT THIS?
THANK YOU,
DIANNA STARK

[hoopdydoo]

Go to this link http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/AlzheimersInformation/Diagnosis/
and look for Other questions? Call the ADEAR Center at 1?800?438?4380 or e?mail our Information Specialists. They will answer your questions.

[cybold]

This is so bogus. They aren't sure that these markers mean anything. They aren't sure whether their drugs work on advanced cases let along with people with these so-called markers. CBS again, under pressure from their sponsors, which are almost entirely big pharma, buckled under to put out this nonsense in an effort to get gullible people to sign up as guinea pigs. As is usually the case, many people will die, but the drug company, with their ex-officials now working for the FDA, will get approval anyway for a dangerous drug that doesn't work. They will make billions, and millions of Americans will die. Shame on CBS for selling out to the crooked Big-Pharma-FDA ripoff of pushing over-priced poisons off on the American people.

[Myopinion046]

Testing for what (lol)?????

[bankersvox]

Is it right to show pictures of these poor people, without their consent ? And...Since they are afflicted, how can they give permission ?

[consh8theusa]

You know, I bet they don't know or care.