Good Lifestyle

And if there was a way to detect if you or a loved one have Alzheimer's disease Before the symptoms even start? This is what health experts in the United States are trying to find - and they run against the stopwatch.

Since 2012, researchers from dozens of universities across the country have been working on The Health & Aging Brain Study - Health disparities (Habs -HD) , the most important and complete study of the biological, medical, environmental and social factors in Alzheimer's and how it affects various communities. Currently, black adults are disproportionately overwhelmed by the disease and, by 2060, Hispanics should undergo the greatest increase.

But now, a new brain analysis discovered during habs-HD research can help doctors catch Alzheimer's disease earlier in many patients before he repels their memory and cognitive capacities. This is exactly what the new brain scanner shows and how it could soon revolutionize your future care.

In relation: Doctors say that it is diet to prevent Alzheimer's disease

The brain scanner can detect alzheimer's signs early

In a new study published in the journal Neuroscience imaging , researchers from the USC Keck School of Medicine have found that the accumulation of TAU protein, a key engine of cognitive decline in Alzheimer's patients, can be observed in a scanner of the "Tau Pet" brain - indicating the probability of a patient to develop the disease.

The scan uses a small amount of radioactive tracer to light up the areas of the brain that have tau, which have been closely linked to memory loss and other symptoms of cognitive decline. Warm colors of yellow, orange and red signal more tau, while the cooler colors like green and blue show fewer tau.

In the study, when the accumulation of TAU has crossed a certain threshold, the researchers considered the patient to be more at risk of Alzheimer's disease. And this "cutting point" turned out to be an effective method.

"Our tau cutting point was able to distinguish if the study participants had cognitive disorder - But only when another abnormal, amyloid protein was also present, "said Dr. Meredith N. Braskie, principal of the study and deputy professor of neurology at the USC.

However, the results are important and "a key step towards the definition of the positivity of the TAU for research and clinical applications," said the main author Victoria R. Tennant, doctoral candidate for the USC neuroscience in neuroscience.

But only in Hispanic and white patients

Although the capacity of the brain scanner to detect signs of Alzheimer's disease is very promising, the researchers discovered a major problem: the scan only worked in the Spanish and non -Hispanic white participants.

For non -Hispanic black participants, the accumulation of tau who crossed the threshold did not reliably report the risk of Alzheimer.

"This suggests that other pathologies or conditions can drive cognitive decline in this group, ”said Braskie, according to Daily science .

This gap is a crucial development. This helps the scientific community understand why different populations can develop Alzheimer's disease uniquely - and why the disease cannot be treated in the same way in all patients.

"This type of imagery is essential to understand who is in danger and how the disease is developing," said Dr. Arthur W. Toga, director of Stevens Neuroimaging and IT ITC Institute. "We hope that this work will lead to more personalized care and better results for all communities."

In relation: 45 first signs of Alzheimer's, everyone over 45 years old should know

What it means for you

Although it is an exciting step forward in the search for Alzheimer's, this new study revealed a major limitation. Obviously, there is more work to do before this brain scanning method became a practice adopted in the United States in the United States

Study authors require more research, including a more in -depth examination of current diagnostic tools which may not take into account racial disparities in the development of Alzheimer's.

That said, like revolutionary revelations like this are made by Habs-HD, the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease In America will continue to improve. This means that the tests carried out by your doctor are about to improve, more precise and more precise.