Mind probe

New research may help identify Alzheimer's earlier

Date published: 6/30/2006

Mind probe

THIS IS THE KIND of news most of us don't want to remember: that casual, laughed-off "senior moment" where you just can't recall someone's name. Or remember where you put your glasses. It could be an early indication of Alzheimer's disease.

The new issue of Neurology presents the results of a study that looked at the brains of 134 elderly people who appeared to have nothing more than occasional forgetfulness. The study found that over a third of the participants' brains had some of the characteristics--including similar patterns of deterioration--found in Alzheimer's patients.

That sounds like worrisome news to many of us, but Dallas Anderson, a scientist at the National Institute on Aging, calls the results "plausible and hopeful." The reason: If doctors can spot the killer disease earlier, they might be able to embark on treatment and prevention before a patient has been afflicted beyond hope.

Millions of Americans pray for a cure for the debilitating condition that robs sufferers of the ability to care for themselves and makes life a daily agony for relatives. Until such time as there is a cure, though, researchers suggest taking on more mentally stimulating activities like classes, reading, or crossword puzzles. To paraphrase Shakespeare, if games be the stuff of life, play on.

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Date published: 6/30/2006