Looking Ahead: Tests might predict Alzheimer’s risk
By Nathan Seppa
In the century since German physician Alois Alzheimer first described the devastating brain disease that bears his name, the illness has resisted cure and its origins have remained elusive. Now, two teams of scientists report that years before symptoms appear, there are indications of who will develop the disease.
U.S. researchers show that brain scans can spot warning signs of cognitive decline, and a Swedish team reports that spinal fluid contains markers of Alzheimer’s risk. Such early diagnostic tests could increase the time available to treat the disease.