Alzheimer’s disease should be defined by changes in the brain rather than cognitive symptoms such as memory decline, according to a report published today (April 10) in Alzheimer’s & Dementia.
This proposal, which was put forth by the Alzheimer’s Association and the National Institute on Aging, suggests that Alzheimer’s patients should be defined by in vivo biomarkers, such as brain scans to identify neurodegeneration or spinal fluid tests to detect β-amyloid and tau, two proteins involved in the pathology of the disease.
“What we’re seeing now is that Alzheimer’s disease is defined by the presence of plaques and tangles in your brain,” Clifford Jack, a Mayo Clinic brain imaging specialist and coauthor of the report, tells NPR. Within this framework, he adds, “symptoms become the ...
