Alzheimer’s: potential new blood test
October 14, 2007
When we were young, our parents were the definition of knowledge and know how, competent and capable as they navigated daily life. We relied on their guidance, we were safe and secure in their care. Now our parents are becoming elderly, and we are beginning to take care of them in ways that are both subtle and obvious.
And sometimes we begin to notice changes in their personality or the ability to recall with accuracy the events of the day or people they have known for decades. While we would like to attribute these changes to the elderly aging process, in the back of our minds we worry — could it be the first signs of Alzheimer’s disease.
Up until now, there has not been a definitive test to determine if someone is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Some of the early symptoms that can be a precursor to Alzheimer’s can actually be the result of other causes, including the simple fact of getting older.
According to the American Health Assistance Foundation, some of the common early symptoms of Alzheimer’s can be confusion, disturbances in short-term memory, problems with attention and spatial orientation, personality changes, language difficulties and unexplained mood swings.
There are three stages in the progression of the disease. In the first stage, family members might not notice the early symptoms as cause for concern and relate the changes to the aging process. The early symptoms in the first stage of Alzheimer’s disease usually manifest in less energy, spontaneity, slight memory loss, confusion, poor judgment, mood swings, and a slowness to learn or react.
However, there might soon be a blood test to determine the presence of Alzheimer’s before the disease takes hold, allowing for early intervention in treatment to delay the devastating effects suffered by Alzheimer’s patients and their family members.
According to professor of neuroscience at the Mayor Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida Todd Golde, when troublesome symptoms of forgetfulness begin, an elderly relative will be taken to the family physician and not a neurologist. The Alzheimer’s blood test could help immensely in determining the cause of complaints.
“For those people, the diagnosis, and an accurate diagnosis, is a challenge,” said Todd Golde. “And so I think that would bring a more uniform and consistent diagnosis to across a wider section of people receiving care for Alzheimer’s.”
Researchers have been able to use the test to accurately diagnose Alzheimer’s in its early stages with a 90 percent accuracy.
Stanford University professor of medicine Tony Wyss-Corayat, who is the research study’s senior author, stated more research is needed to confirm the study’s findings. But he believes a blood test may soon be available that could help doctors make a complex diagnosis.
“This might be feasible in a relatively short period of time to have actually a blood test that can at least help in diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease and may even be able predict whether a person will develop it if they have memory complaints right now,” said Tony Wyss-Coray.