The new test may detect Alzheimer’s sign a decade before brain scans

This news can ease some minds.

Alzheimer’s disease – which affects about 7 million Americans – is extremely difficult to detect, especially in its initial stages. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh say they have developed a new biomarker test that can lead to previous diagnoses and more treatment options.

“Our test identifies the very early stages of Tau Tangle formation – up to a decade before they can appear in a brain scan,” said high study author Thomas Karikari, a Psychiatry Assistant at Pitt School of Medicine .

Tau is a protein that occurs naturally it helps to stabilize nerve cells. Along with another protein, beta amyloid, Tau can be built into the brain and disturb the function of cells.

Irregular tawbings of Tau are called neurofibrillar tangles, which are a distinctive sign of Alzheimer’s.

The new Pitt test is a spine tap-a needle extracts cerebrospinal fluid that is examined to accumulate Tau.

The cartoon and its team marked the primary site where the Tau molecules can be abnormally connected together and forming tangles.

“Early discovery of Tange Tange Tau can identify individuals who are likely to develop Alzheimer’s cognitive decline and can be assisted with new generation therapy,” Kartikar said.

There is no known cure for Alzheimer’s, but certain medications can help slow down the cognitive decline that is characteristic of the disease.

Cognitive estimates, brain scans and blood tests are often used to diagnose Alzheimer because no single test is final.

An exam, a Tau Pet scan, relies on a radioactive tracker injected into the body to visualize the Tau protein in the brain.

But it is not often used in routine clinical practice because it is expensive, it may not reliably detect the early stages of Tau pathology and requires specialized image centers.

Measuring other tests Beta amyloid level, which forms plates in the brain, but the caricature said the tau’s collection is more of a definitive event for Alzheimer’s.

“Amyloid beta is a ignition, and Tau is a mirror,” the caricature explained. “A large percentage of people who have amyloid-beeta deposits of the brain will never develop dementia. But after the Tau Tangles is lit in a brain scan, it can be too late to extinguish the fire and their cognitive health can get worse. “

The cartoons of the caricature were published last week in Nature Medicine magazine.

The spinal tap is not approved by the US food and drug administration, so it is not available for use. Researchers hope to finally do it a blood test.