New Technique Found to Detect Onset of Alzheimer's Disease

Researchers at UCLA have found a technique that images the onset of Alzheimer's disease which they hope will speed diagnosis, intervention and new treatments of the condition.

Researchers combined a chemical marker called FDDNP with positron emission tomography (PET) to view the brain lesions associated with Alzheimer's disease before patients begin exhibiting any symptoms, according to the study published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

"We have developed the first tracer molecule that visually zeroes in on the brain lesions caused by Alzheimer's disease," said Dr. Jorge R. Barrio, professor of medicine and molecular pharmacology and lead investigator.

"This non-invasive method will help us monitor new vaccines and drugs designed to prevent and treat the brain damage caused by Alzheimer's disease," said Dr. Gary Small, professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences and co-author of the study.

The procedure, which takes about one hour, consists of injection of the FDDNP tracer molecule into the arm after the patient has entered the PET scanner.

Researchers detected high concentrations of FDDNP in the memory centers of nine patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease. A autopsy performed on one of the patients showed FDDNP-stained lesions in the brain's memory centers, confirming the results of the PET scan.

"When Alzheimer's disease strikes, the memory center is the first location where plaques take root and destroy brain cells," said Barrio. "So it's the first place where scientists must seek evidence of the disease."

"Combining the FDDNP marker with PET scans will enable us to better screen participants for clinical trials and produce more accurate research results," Barrio reported. "This will bring new drugs to the market faster with lower cost and improved accuracy for patients."

Researchers plan to fine-tune the procedure so they can monitor therapeutic drugs used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Other sources: UCLA