Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/452924
T HIS IS AN exciting time to be involved in Alzheimer's disease research, as a great deal has been discovered about its underlying biology as the disease progresses. Clinicians and scientists are now able to detect some of the earliest features of developing Alzheimer's — even prior to the onset of symptoms such as forgetfulness. It is hoped that this will lead to intervention with treatments that will be effective very early in the disease process. Much of the information regarding the early presentation of Alzheimer's disease has occurred through the discovery of bio- markers. Biomarkers are biological signals in the brain that allow clinicians to detect the Alzheimer's process beginning very early in the disease process. For example, amyloid, the protein thought to be a key player in the development of the disease, forms the basis of one of Alzheimer's hall- marks — neuritic plaque. Clinicians are now able to detect the presence of amyloid in the brain of normal living individuals who are asymptomatic. That is, either by using positron emission tomography (PET) scans or through lumbar punctures and analyzing the cerebrospinal fluid, clinicians are able to detect the presence of the amyloid protein in the brain. These findings have led to several clinical trials aimed at either preventing the buildup or enhancing the removal of the amyloid By Ronald C. Petersen, MD, PhD Mayo Clinic of Alzheimer's Disease Early Detection +++++++++++++++++++++ + +++ + +++ +++++++++++++++++++++ NEURO UPDATE 1 6 | Minnesota MD NEWS ■ M D N E W S . CO M