Alzheimer's disease in a degenerative neurological condition that is associated with the elderly. According to the National Institutes of Health, the majority of Alzheimer's disease onset is before the patient reaches age 60. However, because many symptoms of early Alzheimer's disease resemble aging, it is hard to diagnose Alzheimer's disease in its early stages by symptoms alone. New research by the University of Gothenburg shows that detection of tau and amyloid proteins may detect Alzheimer's disease early. However, this testing is still in clinical trials.
Symptoms
According to the National Institutes of Health, the early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease are often mistaken as the natural signs of aging. These symptoms include difficulties performing tasks, repeating statements, loss of interest in activities, misplacing items, personality changes, trouble finding names for familiar objects and getting lost in well-known places. Since symptoms are not a reliable detection method for the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, tests are needed to determine the presence of Alzheimer's disease.
Proteins
According to the National Institutes of Health, two different proteins exist in the brain of an Alzheimer's disease patient: tau proteins and amyloid proteins. Tau proteins form into the tangles in the brain, while amyloid proteins form into brain plaques. Tangles and plaques are a biological change in the brain as a result of Alzheimer's disease and do not exist in the brains of normal patients.
Research
Detecting the presence of the tau and amyloid proteins in the spinal fluids can diagnose Alzheimer's disease earlier, according to the National Institutes of Health. While the tau and amyloid proteins are in the brain, there are also some in the spinal fluid. Research conducted by the University of Gothenburg in Sweden investigated the effectiveness of protein testing in the spinal fluid. The research had 750 people who had mild cognitive impairment, 529 people with Alzheimer's disease and 304 healthy people. Researchers detected two types of tau proteins and one type of amyloid protein.
Results
According to the University of Gothenburg study, protein testing accurately detected the development of Alzheimer's disease in 62 percent of participants. In addition, protein tested also accurately ruled out 88 percent of participants who did not develop Alzheimer's disease.
Note
While this technique is relatively effective in detecting Alzheimer's disease in its early stages, more clinical testing needs to be done. The protein detection method is recommended for people at high risk, such as those with a family history of Alzheimer's disease, according to the National Institutes of Health.
