From: hounddog23x@gmail.com   
      
   Inherited Alzheimer's Damage Greater Decades Before Symptoms Appear   
      
    Neuroscience News  March 7, 2014  Featured, Neurology   
      
       
   The progression of Alzheimer's may slow once symptoms appear and do   
   significant damage , according to a study investigating an inherited form of   
   the disease.   
      
   In a paper published in the prestigious journal Science Translational   
   Medicine, Professor Colin Masters from the Florey Institute of Neuroscience   
   and Mental Health and University of Melbourne - and colleagues in the UK and   
   US - have found rapid neuronal    
   damage begins 10 to 20 years before symptoms appear.   
      
   "As part of this research we have observed other changes in the brain that   
   occur when symptoms begin to appear. There is actually a slowing of the   
   neurodegeneration," said Professor Masters.   
      
   Autosomal-dominant Alzheimer's affects families with a genetic mutation,   
   predisposing them to the crippling disease. These families provide crucial   
   insight into the development of Alzheimer's because they can be identified   
   years before symptoms develop.    
   The information gleaned from this group will also influence treatment offered   
   to those living with the more common age-related version. Only about one per   
   cent of those with Alzheimer's have the genetic type of the disease.   
      
   Autosomal-dominant Alzheimer's affects families with a genetic mutation,   
   predisposing them to the crippling disease. These families provide crucial   
   insight into the development of Alzheimer's because they can be identified   
   years before symptoms develop.    
   This image shows a normal brain slice and a brain slice of an Alzheimer's   
   patient. Adapted from the University of Melbourne article.   
   Autosomal-dominant Alzheimer's affects families with a genetic mutation,   
   predisposing them to the crippling disease. These families provide crucial   
   insight into the development of Alzheimer's because they can be identified   
   years before symptoms develop.    
   This image shows a normal brain slice and a brain slice of an Alzheimer's   
   patient. Adapted from the University of Melbourne article.   
   The next part of the study involves a clinical trial. Using a range of imaging   
   techniques (MRI and PET) and analysis of blood and cerebrospinal fluid,   
   individuals from the US, UK and Australia will be observed as they trial new   
   drugs to test their safety,   
    side effects and changes within the brain.   
      
   "As part of an international study, family members are invited to be part of a   
   trial in which two experimental drugs are offered many years before symptoms   
   appear," Prof Masters says. "It's going to be very interesting to see how   
   clinical intervention    
   affects this group of patients in the decades before symptoms appear."   
      
   Notes about this Alzheimer's disease research   
      
   The Florey is looking to recruit more participants in the Dominantly Inherited   
   Alzheimer Network (DIAN) study. Those who either know they have a genetic   
   mutation that causes autosomal-dominant Alzheimer's or who don't know their   
   genetic status but have a    
   parent or sibling with the mutation are invited to email: dian@florey.edu.au   
      
   Contact: Anne Rahilly - University of Melbourne   
   Source: University of Melbourne press release   
   Image Source: The image is adapted from the University of Melbourne press   
   release   
   Original Research: Abstract for "Longitudinal Change in CSF Biomarkers in   
   Autosomal-Dominant Alzheimer's Disease" by Anne M. Fagan, Chengjie Xiong,   
   Mateusz S. Jasielec, Randall J. Bateman, Alison M. Goate, Tammie L. S.   
   Benzinger, Bernardino Ghetti, Ralph    
   N. Martins, Colin L. Masters, Richard Mayeux, John M. Ringman, Martin N.   
   Rossor, Stephen Salloway, Peter R. Schofield, Reisa A. Sperling, Daniel   
   Marcus, Nigel J. Cairns, Virginia D. Buckles, Jack H. Ladenson, John C.   
   Morris, David M. Holtzman, and The    
   Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network in Science Translational Medicine.   
   Published online March 5 2014 doi:10.1126/scitranslmed.3007901   
      
      
   http://neurosciencenews.com/neuron-damage-progression-alzheimers-835/   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)