Scientists are hoping they have found a new technique to discover those destined to get Alzheimer’s before physical symptoms are noticeable. Research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has developed a chemical compound, Fluselenamyl that can detect amyloid clumps better than current methods. Using this compound and PET brain scans shows more accurately the condition of the brain. They are specifically looking for amyloid plaques that are of the diffuse kind. These diffuse plaques may mark the early stages of Alzheimer’s. Finding out sooner than later may now be an option for you or loved one.
Key Points:
- 1By the time unambiguous signs of memory loss and cognitive decline appear in people with Alzheimer’s disease, their brains already are significantly damaged, dotted with clumps of a destructive protein known as amyloid beta.
- 2The compound, described in a paper published Nov. 2 in Scientific Reports, one of the Nature journals, potentially could be used in brain scans to identify the signs of early-stage Alzheimer’s disease or to monitor response to treatment.
- 3The next step is to move to testing in patients. Sharma already has submitted an application to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for a phase 0 trial, to establish whether Fluselenamyl is safe for use in humans and behaves in the human body the same way it behaves in mice. Phase 0 trials involve a low dose given to a small number of people to learn how a molecule is processed in the body and how it affects the body.
The compound, described in a paper published Nov. 2 in Scientific Reports, one of the Nature journals, potentially could be used in brain scans to identify the signs of early-stage Alzheimer’s disease or to monitor response to treatment.
Read the full article at: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-11-earlier-alzheimer-diagnosis-imaging-compound.html
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