Spotting Alzheimer's early
20 February 2007
For the first time doctors have developed a conclusive test for Alzheimer's in living patients, raising hopes of better treatment in future. Until now, diagnosis has been a process of elimination, with doctors unable to confirm their suspicions until after their patient has died.
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At the moment there's no cure for Alzheimer's. But now an innovative brain scanning technique looks set to be a breakthrough for diagnosis and treatment.
The new test can pinpoint the earliest signs of Alzheimer's disease in patients who are only showing mild symptoms. By catching this slight brain damage early, researchers hope they will be able to make treatment more effective.
How does the test work?
Alzheimer's disease is caused by a build-up of abnormal proteins in the brain called 'plaques' and 'tangles'. The new brain scan can reveal these 'plaques' and 'tangles' when they first appear. They show up as bright red and yellow areas on the scan results.
This scan is from a patient who has Alzheimer's disease.
Image: UCLA
'It's exciting to have a new diagnostic tool for detecting the first warning signs of Alzheimer's. It will help us identify those at risk, perhaps years before symptoms become obvious,' says Gary Small, the lead researcher on scanning for Alzheimer's at the University of California, Los Angeles.
At the moment the new scanning technique is in clinical trials. But if they prove successful, the test could be made available to UK patients within five years.
Gary Small, lead researcher on scanning for Alzheimer's, UCLA
Image: UCLA
So it could be good news for the half a million people who suffer from Alzheimer's in the UK. For them, the new brain scanning technique could mean earlier diagnosis and treatment that can slow the disease down.
It's easier for doctors to protect a healthy brain than repair one that's already damaged. So combining the new scan technology with novel drug therapies could give Alzheimer's patients a better outlook.
But scientists think the technology could also reveal what causes Alzheimer's, and ultimately lead to treatments that will stop the disease in its tracks.
'We want to research the causes of Alzheimer's rather than just manage the results,' says Kevin Hakl, a brain scanning expert at Siemens who helped develop the scan. 'We hope that being able to detect the disease much earlier will lead towards more personalised medicines.'
Kevin Hakl, brain scanning expert, Siemens
Image: Siemens
Gary Small agrees. 'In the future we might treat Alzheimer's in the same way as high cholesterol, by taking medication to keep the condition under control,' he says.
With this aim in mind, researchers have started to work with drug developers to test anti-Alzheimer's drugs. The new brain scanning technique can show how well these medicines work to reverse the effects of Alzheimer's disease.
'This research could play a vital role in developing better treatments for people with Alzheimer's disease,' thinks Susanne Sorensen, head researcher at The Alzheimer's Society. 'It will help us to properly understand how the disease affects the brain.'
Susanne Sorensen, head researcher, The Alzheimer's Society
Image: The Alzheimer's Society