The Struggle to Find Alzheimer’s Before It’s Too Late

clipped from blogs.wsj.com By the time doctors diagnose Alzheimer’s, the brain is already in big trouble. So researchers are trying to figure out how to detect the disease early on, and come up with treatments that can stop it. Some studies are using an experimental dye called PIB that allows PET scans to detect amyloid, an Alzheimer’s-related protein, in the brain. Others are using MRI scans to look for early changes in the brain. the Health Blog reported on a massive study under way at the Mayo Clinic, tracking thousands of elderly people over many years in an effort to find early signs of the disease. Of course, even if researchers find early signs of the disease, the problem of finding drugs to slow or stop its progress will remain. the Alzheimer’s community is already divided over widespread memory screening tests, with opponents arguing there’s no clear benefit and the possibility of added depression and anxiety.