Testing for Alzheimer's disease

NEW TEST CAN PREDICT ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE WITH 100% ACCURACY!

I bet that headline caught your eye just the way it did mine. On August 9, the news of a new test for Alzheimer’s disease flashed across public radio, ABC, The New York Times, and multiple other outlets. Many of us were asking ourselves “Can I find out if I have Alzheimer’s? How would knowing the answer to this question change my life?” Obviously, it would be a tough decision about taking such a test or not taking it, especially if some of the facts are distorted by the media.

First of all, what is Alzheimer’s disease? It is a common condition that causes memory loss in older people. It usually does not appear until after age 60, and it usually begins with problems remembering recent events. Alzheimer’s disease can run in families. For those with Alzheimer’s disease, the problems with memory and behavior gradually worsen over time, until the sufferer becomes unable to do even simple tasks such as bathing and dressing. The cause of Alzheimer’s disease is unknown. The first important point to remember though is that not all memory loss is Alzheimer’s disease. We all forget some things, and many of us notice that we forget more often as we get older. Forgetting a few things does not mean you have a serious problem. Here are some pointers that help us identify a more serious illness:
1. Short term memory loss: If we sometimes meet someone and can’t remember their name, that’s normal. If we ask their name 5-6 times, and still can’t remember, it may be a sign of serious memory loss. Many of us may forget part of an experience (we had a reunion at the lake this summer, but we can’t name everyone who was there). A person with serious memory loss often forgets even that the reunion party occurred
2. Problems doing everyday tasks: People with serious memory loss often forget how to make a meal, how to make change from a dollar, or how to place a phone call.
3. Problems with language: Those with serious memory loss often forget simple, everyday words. Instead of saying “I lost my toothbrush”, they might say “I can’t find that thing for my mouth.”
4. Problems with date/place: Occasionally forgetting the day or the date is a normal event. Many of us get confused when driving with a map. Persons with serious memory loss may get lost in their own neighborhood. They may not know how they got to a place, or how to get home.
5. Misplacing things: With serious memory loss, someone may put things in unusual places (a container of ice cream in the closet, a wristwatch in the freezer).
The new Alzheimer’s test looks for abnormal proteins in the spinal fluid. These proteins, called amyloid and tau, are present in the brain cells of people with Alzheimer’s disease. Recently, some researchers began looking for amyloid and tau in spinal fluid samples of people who had mild to moderate symptoms of memory loss. They found that almost all of the people who had the amyloid and tau proteins present in their spinal fluid developed Alzheimer’s disease within 5 years. What this doesn’t tell you is if those people with memory loss who test negatively for the proteins will not get Alzheimer’s disease. It also says nothing about what the test results could mean for people without memory loss. So, is this test really ready for general use? Despite all of the media hype, I would say definitely not. A spinal tap can be painful, and the meaning of the test results really isn’t clear yet. There are still too many unanswered questions.
OK, since I have disappointed everyone by trashing the new test, what can I offer for advice on how to at least partially avoid Alzheimer’s disease? We will take that up next time.