Early Alzheimer's test 'possible'


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UK experts say they may have found a way to check for Alzheimer's years before symptoms appear.

A lumbar puncture test combined with a brain scan can identify patients with early tell-tale signs of dementia, they believe.

Ultimately, doctors could use this to select patients to try out drugs that may slow or halt the disease.

Currently there is no single test or cure for dementia, a condition that affects over 800,000 people in the UK.

Experts are working hard to find treatments that prevent the disease or at least slow its progression.

Although there are many candidate drugs and vaccines in the pipeline, it is hard for doctors to test how well these work because dementia is usually diagnosed only once the disease is more advanced.

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I suppose the question is would you really want to know.

Its a horrible thing that rips away who you are.

And its not any better on your family.

My parents and I cared for my gran for around 6 years until she passed away in Janurary. Its not easy at all, and its horrible seeing someone you love disappear piece by piece.

Obviously if they end up developing a treatment for it, then thats awesome. But if they don't, would you really want to know years in advance how horrible your end will be? I don't think I'd want to know.

On a related note - if anyone here is (or has been) caring for something with Dementia, you have my respect. Its not easy at all, and my experience with my gran changed me greatly.

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Scientists are always claiming to be on the verge of an Alzheimers breakthrough but they never actually deliver. Headlines like this just give false hope to patients and carers while the scientists try to drum up more funding.

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