Dr. Sam Gandy: "Detecting Alzheimer's"
Scientists discovered the brain changes leading to Alzheimer's begin decades before any symptoms, which may mean people at risk could be identified long before they start to have any memory loss.
Scientists discovered the brain changes leading to Alzheimer's begin decades before any symptoms, which may mean people at risk could be identified long before they start to have any memory loss. Alzheimer’s disease researchers say that drugs to treat or prevent the disease may have to be given years or even decades before symptoms develop. To try to find those drugs, they'll be testing more and more younger and younger people who could be at risk for the disease far in the future. Some doctors believe Alzheimer's testing will become as routine as testing cholesterol for heart disease. Dr. Sam Gandy from Mount Sinai School of Medicine said, "One of the tests that begin to be performed perhaps at age 40 on an annual or bi- annual basis to determine who's at the highest risk for Alzheimer's disease." But until those drugs are available, doctors predict that most people will choose not to know whether they are at risk.
- Dr. Sam Gandy, Professor, Neurology, Psychiatry, Associate Director of the Mount Sinai Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Mount Sinai School of Medicine