Not less 70% did the cells that have an important tie with the memory already stop functioning when one receives a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s illness. If one was able to detect the signs earlier of it, could one slow down the loss premature of these precious neurons maybe?
It is precisely that to what will apply of the researchers of the academic institute in health mental Douglas1 of Montreal, in 2008. Associated to an international research group on Alzheimer’s illness, they will put to the test a new diagnosis says " precocious" who, they hope, could permit to slow down the loss premature of the cells that plays a role in the memory.
In addition to call on the tests of conventional assessments, they will also bet " on the use of a scanner to positons2 that will be able to discover all trace of atrophy of the brain", explain the Dr Serge Gauthier, director of the research unit on the illness of Alzheimer of the academic institute in health mental Douglas.
This device of imagery by magnetic resonance will also permit to detect some metabolic changes typical of the illness. For example, it will be possible to observe some parts of the brain, where occurred a loss important of nerve cells so, make a least use of the blood glucose.
The lumbar puncture would be able to, it also, to be part of the tools permitting to arrive from it to a precocious diagnosis, according to the Dr Gauthier.
During the year 2008, the researchers will recruit people showing the symptoms pre-Alzheimer therefore: frequent losses of the recent or short-term memory since at least six months and progressive way, of which the family or the near were witnesses.
These people will be followed in order to establish " of new therapies that could delay potentially and even to slow down the progression of the illness", says one in has news release issued by the Graduate Institute mental Douglas health. The survey, track also in collaboration with the institute of neurology of Montreal, will spread on five years.
Precocious diagnosis: of the psychological support
The patient at whom one will detect the illness will be come with all along the process of research, considering the psychological tests that he should surmount.
It is necessary to understand that Alzheimer’s precocious diagnosis is not one of it that one will be able to announce without psychological support for the patient, specify Serge Gauthier. Because people will be again autonomous and independent, such a diagnosis will be lived like a true disaster by several. "
But the continuation is important because it aims to " to propose something in return for the treatments that can slow down the progression" potentially, indicate the Dr Gauthier.
Concretely, one believes that the medicines susceptible to slow down the progression. essentially those that attack the amyloidal, a protein responsible for the illness. should be given earlier. Same thing for some vaccines.
Changes of life habits could also allow the patients to win of the time. One thinks about special diets. enriched in omega 3, for example. who reduce some factors of risk of Alzheimer’s illness, of which the non treated hypertension, the atherosclerosis to the brain, and the silent cerebral thrombosis.
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