Blood test 'to identify Alzheimer's'
Tuesday 15th February 2011
A new blood test that focuses on biomarkers could be used to diagnose Alzheimer's along with other hard-to-identify conditions years before the onset of symptoms, scientists have said.
Research, published in journal Cell, detailed the usage of synthetic molecules to identify antibodies that are specific to Alzheimer's disease.
Additionally, the research could be used in future cases to detect conditions such as multiple sclerosis, lupus and Parkinson's disease.
"One of the great challenges in treating patients with Alzheimer's disease is that once symptoms appear, it's too late. You can't un-ring the bell," said Dr Dwight German, author of the study.
"If we can find a way to detect the disease in its earliest stages - before cognitive impairment begins - we might be able to stop it in its tracks by developing new treatment strategies," he added.
This comes after research published in journal PLoS ONE found that two pathways associated with neurodegenerative diseases were linked to rare childhood disease Lesch-Nyhan Disease (LND).
Written by Martin Lambert
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