Recent Alzheimer’s Research

Worldwide, nearly 44 million people have Alzheimer’s or a related dementia. But, only one in four people with Alzheimer’s disease have been diagnosed. Organizations like the Alzheimer’s Association strive for a cure every day. They have had advances in brain imaging, boosting brain cell communicating, and have never been so hopeful in finding a cure.

What would happen if we could diagnose Alzheimer’s before it was too late? Researchers are looking for a way to detect this disease before irreversible brain damage is done. Right now they are using biological markers. A biomarker is something that can be measured to indicate the presence of a disease.  Examples being studied include beta-amyloid and tau levels in cerebrospinal fluid and brain changes detectable by imaging. But before it can be used in clinics it must be tested to see if it can accurately detect the disease.

Right now they use CT‘s (Computed tomography), MRI‘s (Magnetic resonance imaging), and PET scans (Positron emission tomography) to rule out other diseases when diagnosing Alzheimer’s. These provide information about the shape, position, or volume of brain tissue. CSF is a clear fluid that cushions the brain and spinal cord. Adults have about 1 pint of CSF, which can be tested through a spinal tap. Research suggests that Alzheimer’s disease in early stages may cause changes in CSF levels of tau and beta-amyloid. The Alzheimer’s Association has funded the QC Program for CSF Biomarkers to further the research. Organizations can then compare their sample outcomes to the results.

Alzheimers

This shows a scan with blue being the low brain activity and yellow being the high brain activity. In a normal brain there would be symmetrical yellow on both sides. The patchy areas are places with degenerative brain tissue.

One in nine Americans over the age of 65 has Alzheimer’s disease. Everyday researchers are looking for a cure. Today’s drugs only slow the process. There are several drugs being tested with clinical trials, and advancements in neuroimaging. Together we can find a cure.

What new research are they looking at?

What do researchers have to have to start a clinical trial?

When people come in how are they first diagnosed?

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Hello! My names Keeona Franklin and I attend Sheyenne high school. If you have any questions about my blog you can contact me using the email above, Thank you!

5 thoughts on “Recent Alzheimer’s Research

  1. This research on Alzheimer’s disease has taught me way more about it than I knew before. I had a general idea about what Alzheimer’s was, but now I know more detail about how it is diagnosed and the difference in brain activity in someone with Alzheimer’s verses someone without. I looked farther into your question about what researchers have to have to start a clinical trial, and although I did not find the exact answer to that question I found out more about Alzheimer trials. For instance, there are two types of treatment trials for Alzheimer’s. One is aimed at new or existing drugs used to reduce symptoms, and another is aimed new drugs used to stop the disease all together. There are also different phases is clinical trials that each new treatment has to pass. To find out more about clinical trials here’s the link where I found my research:
    http://www.alz.org/research/clinical_trials/clinical_trials_alzheimers.asp

  2. This blog taught me so much about Alzheimer’s, especially because I don’t know anyone specifically that has been or is going through this disease right now. As for your question: What new research are they looking at? I came upon a website where they talk about some new drugs researchers have developed in order to bring this disease to a halt. There are plenty of examples of drugs that are hoping to be made in the coming years listed on this website, such as beta-amyloid and CSP-1103. Here is the website’s link: http://preview.alz.org/research/science/alzheimers_treatment_horizon.asp

    With new research, there is more hope for a better cure or a more permanent solution, unlike right now.

  3. Your research has helped me learn more about my grandma’s illness that she died from last year. To answer your question on how people are first diagnosed when they come in I have done some research. There is no single test that can show whether a person has Alzheimer’s according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Here are the steps to diagnosis: a thorough medical history, mental status testing, a physical and neurological exam, and some other tests such as blood tests and brain imaging to rule out other diseases. Another thing to keep in mind is if you are having trouble with memory doe not mean you have Alzheimer’s.
    My information came from:
    http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_diagnosis.asp

  4. Your research on Alzheimer is really fascinating because my grandma died of Alzheimer last year. I researched your question on how people are diagnosed when they come in and here’s what I found. When a doctor is diagnosing a patient with Alzheimer they have to go through a careful medical evaluation such as a thorough medical history check, mental status testing, physical and neurological exam, and tests. According to Alzheimer’s association there is no single test that can show whether a person has Alzheimer’s.
    I found all of this research at this link:
    http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_diagnosis.asp

  5. I think this Blog has a lot of great information about Alzheimers and i Hope they find a cure very soon. To answer the question: When people come in how are they first diagnosed? I found an article that says they mostly use a test called Addenbrookes Cognitive examination (ACE) which measures parts of the brain for early stage Alzheimers. They also use MRIs, CTs and PET scans like you already said to know for sure that the patient has Alzheimers or Dementia. Here is the link to the website i found this information:

    http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=21&sid=d423d756-65e7-4c77-bed4-b7ecfecda9f7%40sessionmgr111&hid=110&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=78192242&db=keh

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