Blood Test May Help Diagnose Alzheimer’s Disease, Scientists Say

Blood Test May Help Diagnose Alzheimer's Disease, Scientists Say

Around 50 million people live with Alzheimer’s, a degenerative brain disease that accounts for more than half of global dementia cases. Alzheimer’s disease is an age-related brain disorder that develops over many years. However, certain aggravating factors damage the brain cells much faster so even a person who is as young as 30 years old can already experience the early signs of Alzheimer’s.

Memory loss, forgetting the subject of conversation midway, and irrational mood changes are just some of the early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. These symptoms can easily be mistaken as every day, stress-driven occurrences. Without regular extensive checkups, a person is often diagnosed with Alzheimer’s when symptoms have already worsened.

A simple blood test may soon be available so that doctors can diagnose patients with two common forms of dementia – Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) – and tell the two apart. In the meantime, you can help the brain stay active and healthy by taking a fast-acting nootropic by Neurohacker . Blood Test Method May Predict Alzheimer’s Disease

While its precise mechanism is not fully understood, Alzheimer’s appears to result from the accumulation of proteins in the brain that is thought to lead to the death of neurons. Some of these proteins are traceable in the patients’ blood, which means that tests based on these concentrations can be used to diagnose the disease.

From the journal Nature Aging , scientists in Sweden and Britain suggest that blood tests can be used to predict Alzheimer’s, years before the onset of symptoms. This approach could be less invasive and costly than current brain imaging and spinal fluid tests, which means that more people may get tested. The development of this blood test also means that scientists can rapidly screen a much larger and more diverse group of volunteers who wish to enroll for Alzheimer’s disease treatment studies, a critical factor in hastening the search for the long-awaited cure.

In the study, blood samples were taken from more than 550 patients with minor cognitive impairments or those who are already showing early signs of dementia. It is expected that there will be an 88% success rate in predicting the onset of Alzheimer’s in the same patients over four years. The effectiveness of the proposed blood test can only be confirmed after further research. In the meantime, the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Natural Institute on Aging (NIA), the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) are funding the study and have high hopes about seeing positive results in years to come. When such time comes, patients and doctors alike will be better equipped with knowledge of a sure diagnosis so that symptoms can be managed earlier before they get worse. Better yet, patients and families will then be able to look forward to a cure. How Is Alzheimer’s Treated Today?

Currently, there is no known treatment for Alzheimer’s. However, medications called cholinesterase inhibitors are often prescribed for mild to moderate cases. These drugs may help reduce some symptoms and help control some behavioral symptoms. The most commonly used medicines are Razadyne® (galantamine), Exelon® (rivastigmine), and Aricept® (donepezil).

Scientists are not yet sure how cholinesterase inhibitors work to treat Alzheimer’s disease. However, research indicates that they prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine, a brain chemical believed to be essential for memory and thinking. As Alzheimer’s progresses, the brain produces less and less acetylcholine, which means that cholinesterase inhibitors may eventually lose their effect.

There are also prescribed treatments that help patients already in the latter stages of Alzheimer’s disease. This medication is known as Namenda® (memantine), an N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist prescribed to treat moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease. The purpose of this drug is to decrease symptoms, which is incredibly helpful for patients who are experiencing more significant memory loss and thinking skills and all other consequences that come with such loss. Namenda® helps patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer’s maintain certain daily functions a little longer than they would without the medication. This includes using the bathroom independently for several more months, eating meals without assistance, and watching television without forgetting the show’s plot.

For those who are not yet diagnosed with Alzheimer’s but have loved ones living with the disease, it is recommended to follow all preventative steps to slow – or even prevent – Alzheimer’s disease. The risk of developing Alzheimer’s increases if more than one family member has the illness. Other than the hereditary or genetics factor, environmental factors also play a role. Stress, brain health, and even cardiac health are all relevant components for preventing the disease. Maintain a regular sleep schedule, engage the mind with brain-stimulating activities, quit heavy drinking and heavy smoking, and take cognitive enhancers like nootropics by Neurohacker . Cognitive Enhancer For Long-Term Brain Health

Certain compounds of nootropic supplements protect brain cells against Alzheimer’s “aggravators.” Nootropics are known as cognition enhancers that improve mental function and treat various conditions, including memory and concentration problems. One nootropic cognitive enhancer available today is Qualia Mind Essentials by Neurohacker , the product of thousands of hours of research and development by top scientists in complex-systems modeling, neurobiology, organic chemistry, along with the help of dozens of MDs and PhDs.

Qualia Mind Essentials contains five nootropic compounds, making it the most comprehensive supplementation available among the nootropic choices. Combined with seven neuro-vitamins, six adaptogen extracts, five amino acids, and one choline donor, Qualia Mind Essentials is sure to deliver more focus and more drive for maximum productivity every day. This means that your mind does not only stay healthy with the nutrients that it needs but that it also gets to maximize its memory and thinking capabilities, a necessary method to keep Alzheimer’s from damaging brain cells.

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