UCLA announce first test to record Alzheimer's onset

The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES -- Researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles said Wednesday they have created the first test that records the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

The test, which identifies lesions associated with Alzheimer's in a person's brain, could improve early diagnosis and lead to more effective treatment, said Dr. Stephen Bartels, president of the American Association of Geriatric Psychiatry.

"This is a huge step forward in getting a jump on the disease before it progresses to cause brain impairment," Bartels said of the test, reported in the January issue of the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

Alzheimer's, a degenerative brain disease that causes memory loss, disorientation, depression and decay of bodily functions, affects an estimated 4 million Americans.

The disease often begins with memory lapses and advances to dementia. People with advanced cases require constant care and lose the ability to recognize even their loved ones. Among the disease's victims is former President Reagan.

The UCLA discovery means patients will be able to undergo a noninvasive test that includes a PET scan and the injection of a chemical tracer, which identifies the brain lesions linked to the disease.