The Memory Center and Imaging department of the Hattiesburg Clinic in Mississippi have come up with a new study that hopes to improve cure for Alzheimer's disease. The study aims to upgrade the tools that are currently available for people who suffer from the devastating disease.
A team of researchers from the Hattiesburg Clinic have launched a new study called Imaging Dementia - Evidence for Amyloid Scanning Study (IDEAS), specially designed to improve the tools for Alzheimer's patients.
The research team is planning to look at the brain images of the patients that could be helpful to the doctors in diagnosing Alzheimer's patients earlier than usual. According to lead study researcher, Dr. Ronald L. Schwartz, the appearance of amyloid plaques in the brain suggests that the person is at an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease and will sooner or later suffer from it.
The best way to locate amyloid plaques in the brain is to look at the amyloid PET brain scans. Amyloid plaques are sticky clumps of protein that gets accumulated in the brain and are associated with the progression of the Alzheimer's disease. Figuring out whether these plaques are present or not in the brain can help doctors determine the likelihood that a patient's symptoms are linked to Alzheimer's disease.
According to Schwartz, PET scans can help identify any type of amyloid plaques. Once the plaque is spotted in a patient, the researchers plan to schedule a follow-up with the patient and the doctors can then explain the results of the scan to him or her. Doctors can also offer them tools for the patients or advise them on how to tackle their condition.
The ultimate goal of the team is to highlight the importance of using a PET scan to identify early cases of Alzheimer's disease. Even though there is no cure yet, the researchers believe that early diagnosis can be more effective at stopping the progression of the condition.
