Stratford, New Jersey – Researchers at the Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine are developing a new blood test that may detect Alzheimer’s disease at its earliest stage even before patients begin to show symptoms. Changes in the brain happen years before the first physical symptoms arise, so diagnosing the disease at an early stage could reinforce treatment options.
The author of the study, Dr. Robert Nagele alleged, “There are significant benefits to early disease detection because we now know that many of the same conditions that lead to vascular disease are also significant risk factors for Alzheimer’s.”
Recent developments, presented in Orlando at the American Osteopathic Association meetings, explain how Alzheimer’s antibodies can be detected by a simple blood test. These proteins are found in the immune system. Every person has their own autoantibody profile based on age and gender. When a disease is present, several identifiable changes appear on the patient’s profile that can expose a medical condition. So, investigators infer that they can detect not only Alzheimer but several other conditions through this method as well. This new development may also give doctors an idea of how progressed the disease actually is.
Alzheimer is a progressive disease which symptoms develop slowly and worsen as time goes by. Eventually, they start to interfere with simple daily tasks like eating, getting dressed and remembering how to go to places you often visit.
Early detection may give patients an advantage to make certain lifestyle changes on bad habits that could eventually increase future risks due to their condition. Healthy diets, exercise, weight and blood pressure management are a few steps to improve overall vascular health which may delay brain disease progression. Also, as scientists say, the earliest stage is the most treatable one, for that reason treatment may even begin before the first symptoms appear.
Rowan University professor of family medicine Jennifer Caudle stated, “I can’t think of a single patient who wouldn’t take steps to prevent the progression of Alzheimer’s if they could directly affect their prognosis.”
Physicians normally recommend patients to lead a healthy lifestyle which is the best medicine for preventing any disease. Unfortunately, most people only follow this advice when a health crisis strains their attention.
This disease is in the group of dementia-related illnesses and causes trouble with cognitive process. Because Alzheimer is incurable, it’s very important to take advanced defense steps to deal with the disease to help avoid or delay the most devastating symptoms.
Source: Science World Report