Alzheimer’s disease is a medical condition where people slowly lose their memory and independence. One of its main causes is harmful proteins building up in the brain.
The sooner doctors detect Alzheimer’s, the more effective the treatment can be. However, it has been challenging to identify it early on.
In recent years, researchers from the University of Geneva and Geneva University Hospitals made a significant discovery that might change this.
Understanding Alzheimer’s and Its Diagnostics
Alzheimer’s has a sneaky way of developing over many years. One of its main signs is harmful protein build-ups, called amyloid plaques and tau tangles, in the brain.
Until now, a technique named PET scan has been the go-to method to spot these signs. Here’s how it works: patients get a small amount of a radioactive substance that binds to the harmful proteins, making them easier to see on a scan.
A New Way to See: Tau PET Scans
For a long time, scientists have known about and used certain substances that can “highlight” the harmful proteins in the brain.
But the discovery made by the Geneva team is about a new substance called Flortaucipir. This substance is specially designed to latch onto tau, one of the harmful proteins associated with Alzheimer’s.
When they tested different imaging methods on 90 participants, they found that tau PET scans, using Flortaucipir, were the best in predicting if someone’s memory and cognitive abilities would decline due to Alzheimer’s.
While both amyloid and tau proteins can indicate Alzheimer’s, there’s a critical difference between them. Just because someone has amyloid doesn’t mean they’ll show Alzheimer’s symptoms.
But tau? It’s a more accurate tell-tale sign. If tau is present, it’s more likely that the person will show symptoms or get worse over time.
The problem was, until now, spotting tau was tricky due to its complex structure and low levels. But the discovery of the tau PET scan changes that.
A Brighter Future for Patients
This discovery brings a lot of hope. Firstly, it can help doctors detect Alzheimer’s earlier, which means treatments can be more effective.
Plus, there are new medicines in the works that focus on removing tau from the brain. If doctors can detect tau early, they can use these medicines more effectively, helping patients maintain a better quality of life.
The research team is also trying to understand how tau spreads in the brain and how its position may affect the symptoms a patient experiences.
This is crucial because every person’s experience with Alzheimer’s is unique. The more doctors understand about tau and its behavior, the better they can tailor treatments for each patient.
In conclusion, this research from the University of Geneva and Geneva University Hospitals brings a lot of hope for Alzheimer’s patients.
It makes a strong case for including tau PET scans as a regular check-up method to detect Alzheimer’s early and pick the best treatment options.
If you care about Alzheimer’s disease, please read the root cause of cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s, and 5 steps to protect against Alzheimer’s and Dementia.
For more information about Alzheimer’s disease, please read the root cause of cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s, and 5 steps to protect against Alzheimer’s and Dementia.
The study was published in Alzheimer s & Dementia.
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