If you could find out if you’re at high risk for developing Alzheimer’s or are already showing signs of the disease, would you want to know?
Up until now the answer to this question for many was, “No – why would I want to know if I’m likely to develop a disease I can do nothing about?” But recent advancements in available treatment and research mean that you have more power than ever before to do something about it. And the promise of even more exciting breakthroughs on the not-too-distant horizon mean that power will likely only grow in the years ahead.
But the ability to take the greatest advantage possible of those breakthroughs hinges on early detection. That’s why the Memory and Aging Program is involved in multiple research studies focused on various methods of potential low-cost, easy-to-administer tests for early detection of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).
You don’t have to wait for the future of research to unfold to be proactive about your brain health, though.
What You Can Do:
Talk to Your Doctor
If you have any concerns about your memory or thinking, don’t hesitate to talk about them with your primary care provider. He or she can help you to determine if what you are experiencing is normal or if it is something that should be examined further.
Everyone experiences memory lapses and forgetfulness from time to time and some decline in memory is a normal part of aging. For example, as an individual approaches middle age, his or her ability to recall newly learned information, such as recalling people’s names or specific words, may begin to slip. These memory problems do not get worse over short periods of time and do not interfere much with the ability to do daily activities. People may compensate for these normal memory changes by repeatedly going over things to be remembered, linking them in their mind with something already well known, or keeping lists of things to do.
In contrast, the memory loss in AD is much greater than expected for age. The memory lapses are more frequent and severe and interfere with the ability to manage daily activities.
If it seems like this is what you are experiencing, your doctor can refer you for a neuropsychological evaluation, which is like a physical for the brain.The evaluation involves meeting with a psychologist who specializes in assessing brain functions, such as memory. The appointment usually takes two to three hours and starts with a short interview about your memory or other thinking problems, medical history, and family history. Usually, a family member or close friend will be invited to the interview to provide information about how you are doing at home.
After that, you will take a series of memory and thinking tests. Some are paper-pencil tasks like copying a design and writing a sentence, others may require you to remember a story or some words. Sometimes you may also take a computer test that measures your reaction time and attention. The psychologist will then give you feedback and discuss the next steps.
What We’re Doing:
The Future of Early Detection Could Already Be Here – And You May Be Able to Be Part of It
Here at the Memory and Aging Program, we’re conducting a multitude of studies focused on identifying means of non-invasive, convenient and cost-effective methods of Alzheimer’s screening and early detection. You may be able to participate in these studies and learn more about your own risk while helping to move this critical research forward for everyone.
Here are just a few of the methods of Alzheimer’s screening and early detection that we’re studying now and in the near future...
Screening at Your Eye Exam The
Atlas of Retinal Imaging in Alzheimer’s Study (ARIAS) is evaluating retinal screening processes that could help clinicians detect AD two or more decades before life-altering symptoms develop. The findings from this study will be used to create a gold standard reference database of structural, anatomic and functional imaging of the retina that would enable optometrists and ophthalmologists to screen for biomarkers associated with AD as part of your yearly eye exam.
A Digital Test at Your Doctor’s Office The
DigiCog AD Study is testing the feasibility of using app-based smart phone brain games to assess subtle memory and thinking changes that may occur before the start of major AD symptoms. The study will also compare this approach against other digital and paper-and-pencil tests to determine their relative accuracy for distinguishing cognitive functioning in normal aging and early AD. You can learn more and see if you qualify to participate at
butler.org/studies/digicog-ad-study.
A Simple and Affordable Blood Test
We are working with the Brown University Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research
and a renowned translational research team led by Dr. Oskar Hansson of Lund University in Sweden to develop a fully-staffed fluid biomarker facility. At this laboratory, the
teams at Brown and Lund will study a cohort of 500 asymptomatic individuals to identify early biomarkers of cognitive impairment and ultimately, Alzheimer’s disease. This research could lead to a readily available, low-cost blood test to diagnose AD.