Early markers for Alzheimer’s disease

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - Diagnosing Alzheimer’s Disease is tough for doctors to do, because it doesn’t always follow a clear path.

One of the markers for the disease is the presence of abnormal amyloid in the brains of people who go on to develop dementia. Amyloid is an abnormal protein that can build up in the brain in the spaces between nerve cells.

A recent study published in JAMA Neurology showed that the number of people who have this build-up but show no signs of cognitive impairments ten percent higher than originally thought.

It’s an important find because it means doctors can potentially identify the markers that indicate future Alzheimer’s earlier.

The study authors pointed out that the presence of amyloid alone is not enough to predict future Alzheimer’s disease, because different people with the similar biomarkers can have different outcomes, and the disease, when it does occur, can progress at different rates in different people.