Pioneer biomarker test to diagnose or rule out Alzheimer's disease
Monday, March 16, 2009 - 14:21
in Health & Medicine
A test capable of confirming or ruling out Alzheimer's disease has been validated and standardized by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. By measuring cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of two of the disease's biochemical hallmarks - amyloid beta42 peptide and tau protein - the test also predicted whether a person's mild cognitive impairment would convert to Alzheimer's disease over time. Researchers were able to detect this devastating disease at the earliest stages, before dementia symptoms appeared and widespread irreversible damage occurred. The findings hold promise in the search for effective pharmaceutical therapies capable of halting the disease.