Brain Scans Show Early Signs of Alzheimer's

For children of two parents with Alzheimers, brain scans may help see the disease coming long before it sets in, according to new research out from Weill Cornell Medical College and the New York University School of Medicine.

The research, which was published in Neurology analyzed 52 people between 32 and 72 years of age who displayed no signs of dementia. The participants were divided into four different groups according to which of their parents had a history of Alzheimer's, if any did.

Each group was then asked to undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, to map out their brains, and position emission tomography (PET) scans, which measured levels of brain plaque -- which can inhibit brain activity.

According to the Alzheimer's Association, these plaques form when pieces of protein from the fatty membrane surrounding nerve cells begin to clump together. These clumps can be very harmful, potentially blocking cell-to-cell signaling at key synapses of the brain -- a key step in the development of Alzheimer's.

Researchers found that participants who had both a mother and father with Alzheimer's disease showed 5 to 10 percent more brain plaque than those who only had one or no parents with the disease. They also found a noticeably greater number of abnormalities in brain volume and metabolism in the twp-parent group, compared to the other three groups.

Interestingly, the researchers also found that those with only an ailing mother commonly had more markers of the disease in their brain scans than those who only had a father with Alzheimer's.

In their concluding statements, the study authors expressed a hope that the research will help identify the genres responsible for Alzheimer's.  Cases of  early detection, such as these scans can also help patients who are likely to develop the disease.

Forewarned patients can take some preventative measures believed to help delay the onset of the disease, such as exercising brain elasticity and keeping an eye on one's blood pressure and cholesterol, although nothing has ever been clinically proven to work.

The study was published in Neurology on February 12.