Testing
The summaries in the Testing category from Feb. 1998 through June 1999 have been
cumulated in this file and sorted by the following topics. By clicking on the title you
will go to that topic and you can then scroll down within the topic. Use Back button to
return to this table of contents.
Whether Testing Should Be Done
Amyloid Beta-protein Aggregates in Cerebrospinal Fluid
Amyloid Beta Precursor Protein (APP) in Platelet
Blood Serum p97 Diagnostic Assay
Brain Shrinkage (pg 6 how measure?)
In Home Testing of Mental Agility
LCM (Laser Capture Microdissection)
Markers in Urine to Detect Free-Radical Formation
Mito-Load™ assay (Blood based in vitro nucleic acid test)
Motion Blindness (Visual Disorientation)
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
PET (Positron Emission Tomography)
Protein-bound Acrolein (marker of oxidative damage to protein)
SPECT - Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography
Trodet Imaging System (Dopamine Transporter)
Whether Testing Should Be Done
0499 Early Diagnosis May Slow Course Of AD - Early diagnosis of AD could improve the treatment of the degenerative brain disorder and slow its progression. Dr. Tonmoy Sharma, of the Institute of Psychiatry at The Maudsley Hospital in London, said new brain imaging techniques, psychological testing and new drugs may allow doctors to detect and treat mild cognitive impairments, such as memory loss, before the disease really takes hold. The key to early detection is functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), a scanning technique that gives doctors almost real-time information about brain function. fMRI is already being used to being used to map the effects of antipsychotic drugs on the brains of schizophrenia patients. The device will help doctors detect early signs of the disease, before diagnosis, and to monitor drug treatments by charting increased blood flow in the message signalling system in the brain. Sharma and his colleagues are beginning a three-year study to assess the impact of new drugs, called cognitive enhancers, when given to people with mild cognitive impairments who could be on a trajectory to AD. By Patricia Reaney Reuters 3/18/99
0798 A Clash Over Testing for AD - There has been some controversy over
the use of a diagnostic test for AD. Allen Roses and his colleagues devised the test and
are standing by it. A panel, sponsored by the Stanford University's Center for Biomedical
Ethics issued a draft opinion in October 1997 stating that genetic testing for AD is not
appropriate from most people. Alan Roses is unyielding. He claims that physicians who rely
on traditional criteria to make a diagnosis identify AD in only 60% to 70% of patients
during the initial visit. Testing for APOE4, he claims, could raise the accuracy rate to
95%. From a practical point of view he says it makes a big difference for a physician to
be able to diagnosis a patient correctly with 95% confidence on the first visit. Science
280;5366 May 15, 1998 p 1004
0598 World Panel Outlines Tests for AD - The panel said: (1) For
early-onset AD these mutations are relatively rare and testing should be limited to those
with a family history of early-onset AD. (2) For late-onset and sporadic AD, a check for
certain mutation of the APOE gene, known as APOE4, can help a diagnosis made on the basis
of psychiatric tests. It should not be used as the only test. (3) The APOE4 test is not
appropriate for people who have no symptoms of AD. No other test were truly appropriate,
the panel decided. "These include amyloid deposits in skin (skin test), pupil
dilation in response to dilute solution of tropicamide (eye-drop test), neuronal thread
proteins in cerebrospinal fluid (AD7C) and serum levels of iron binding protein p97,"
the Alzheimer Association said. Reuters 4/7/1998
0598 Alzheimer's Association Announces Winner of Hatfield Research Award
- They grant their annual Senator Mark Hatfield Award for Clinical Research in AD to
Michelle Papka, Ph.D. for a project to improve the diagnosis of the Lewy Body variant
(LBV) of AD. The LBV of AD has been estimated to account for 20% of age-related dementia,
however clinical diagnosis of this disease remains a challenge. The research will
determine if neuropsychological testing can distinguish between the two disease types and
lean if the groups differ with respect to genetics and markers in cerebrospinal fluid. The
Alzheimer Assn. said there is a strong evidence that brain degeneration associated with AD
may begin up to 40 years before the first clinical symptoms appear. Early detection tools
are needed for diagnosis of presymptomatic cases and to enable us to better track the
progression of the disease and evaluate drugs in clinical trials. PR 3/20/98
0298 Early Diagnosis of AD Has Many Benefits - Alzheimer's Association states that it is important to identify the actual cause so a person can receive proper care.
Amyloid Beta-protein Aggregates in Cerebrospinal Fluid
0798 Detection of Single Amyloid Beta-protein Aggregates in Cerebrospinal Fluid of AD Patients - German researchers in Dusseldorf have detected single amyloid beta aggregates in the spinal fluid of 15 AD patients, but in none of the 19 age-matched controls. They believe that amyloid beta-protein forms amyloid plaques through a progressive transformation of soluble protein monomers which fold into accordion-like structures called beta-sheets which then interlock and become plaque and this process is called "seeded polymerization." Their test discriminates between the "spontaneous" aggregation of normal, soluble amyloid beta protein in the spinal fluid and the "seeded multimerization" of amyloid beta protein which theoretically occurs only in patients with AD. If the test is validated, it may represent an "easy" new assay for the routine test for those who suffer from AD as well as being used in the early diagnosis in people at high risk for AD. Reuters 6/29 & 30/98 citing Nature Medicine 1998;4:832-834 July (2 of 3)
Amyloid Beta Precursor Protein (APP) in Platelet
1098 Blood Test May Indicate AD - In a study of 73 subjects, people with AD have lower than average levels of a particular type of amyloid beta precursor protein (APP) in their platelets, the cells that circulate in the blood stream that are involved in blood clot formation. Amyloid beta is the protein found in plaques in the brains of those with AD. The protein is derived from APP, which is found in other types of tissue, and is in particularly high concentrations in platelets. Whether this change in concentration will be suitable for an adjunctive diagnostic tool in AD in a large population of patients is under investigation. Reuters 9/18/98 Archives of Neurology 1998;55:1195-1200 (Sept.).
Blood Serum p97 Diagnostic Assay
0499 Synapse Technologies Announces License Agreement with Kyowa Medex for Introduction of AD Diagnostic in Japan - The agreement gives Kyowa exclusivity for promotion of Synapse's leading-edge p97 Diagnostic assay for AD, in Japan. Synapse reports their blood- serum p97 assay has recently shown excellent results in clinical trials for AD assessment. As a blood-serum test, it offers significant benefit over traditional cerebrospinal fluid tests, which carry great patient risk PR 3/18/99
0199 Brains Do Not Shrink Faster As Healthy People Get Older - Researchers at Oregon Health Sciences University found that even though healthy people do lose brain tissue as they age, the rate of the brain's shrinking can stay relatively constant, and relatively small, well into the 90's and beyond. Earlier studies that found the brain does shrink faster the older one gets probably included people destined to develop AD, even though the disease had not yet been diagnosed. Those study subjects would have lost brain tissue at a faster rate than healthy older people, thus throwing off the study results. By breaking the study patients into three groups, the researchers could easily screen out those who showed signs of AD or other dementia, and get a clearer picture of the rate of brain tissue loss within each healthy group. The study results may be a tool for identifying those at risk of dementia. If people have an accelerated rate of tissue loss in the brain, that may indicated they are going to develop dementia. PR 12/21/98 Journal Neurology 12/98
0499 Early Diagnosis May Slow Course Of AD - Early diagnosis of AD could improve the treatment of the degenerative brain disorder and slow its progression. Dr. Tonmoy Sharma, of the Institute of Psychiatry at The Maudsley Hospital in London, said new brain imaging techniques, psychological testing and new drugs may allow doctors to detect and treat mild cognitive impairments, such as memory loss, before the disease really takes hold. The key to early detection is functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), a scanning technique that gives doctors almost real-time information about brain function. fMRI is already being used to being used to map the effects of antipsychotic drugs on the brains of schizophrenia patients. The device will help doctors detect early signs of the disease, before diagnosis, and to monitor drug treatments by charting increased blood flow in the message signalling system in the brain. Sharma and his colleagues are beginning a three-year study to assess the impact of new drugs, called cognitive enhancers, when given to people with mild cognitive impairments who could be on a trajectory to AD. By Patricia Reaney Reuters 3/18/99
0998 Scientists Pinning Down Source of Memory in Brain - The recent
development of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) allows scientists a
highly-focused view of brain activity over time. In a study focused on verbal or
linguistic memory fMRI imaging showed that activity level in the left prefrontal cortex
and parahippocampal cortex dictated which words were remembered or forgotten in subsequent
tests. The new research should determine whether memory-imaging techniques might be used
in older people at risk for AD to see if they predict who will and who will not get the
disease. Researchers also hope this may give a tool to examine the very earliest effects
of the disease. Reuters 8/21/98 Science 1998;281:1185-1187, 1188-1190
0199 Competitive Technologies' Homocysteine Technology Hits Main Street - The American Heart Association (AHA) has released a Science Advisory urging doctors to immediately begin screening high-risk patients with a personal or family history of heart disease. The advisory will be featured in the upcoming January 5-12, 1999, issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. In addition to cardiovascular disease, high levels of homocysteine have been linked to AD, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Rheumatoid Arthritis. PR 1/5/99
1198 Competitive Technologies, Inc. (CCT) Reports Homocysteine Updates - CTT has patents on any assay used to determine if an individual has an elevated homocysteine level and a corres- ponding deficiency in folate or vitamin B12. The increase in the number of assays performed by its third party licensees reflects the growing attribution of the importance of homocysteine as a measurable risk factor for coronary artery disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. In addition to the implications of homocysteine and coronary artery disease, new studies are also indicating that there may be a relationship between elevated levels of homocysteine and conditions such as AD, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Rheumatoid Arthritis. PR 10/9/98
1198 Elevated Homocysteine Levels a Possible Risk Factor for AD - Dr. A.
David Smith of the University of Oxford, UK, presented his group's findings that elevated
homocysteine levels are associated with histologically AD and vascular
dementia. Serum total homocysteine levels were significantly higher and serum folate and
vitamin B12 levels were significantly lower in patients with the disease than in 108
controls. Dr. Smith said "our hypothesis was that there is a vascular trigger for AD.
Our results are consistent with this, but it doesn't mean that this is proof." In an
editorial accompanying the AMA Archives of Neurology article, it is suggested that
neurologists may want to add measurement of homocysteine levels to the routine battery of
tests for patients with dementia. Reuters 10/19/98 Arch Neurol 1998;55:1449
(11/98)
In Home Testing of Mental Agility
0599 In-Home Alzheimer's Test Catching On - The Alzheimer's Research Foundation's new In-Home AD Screening Test (I-HAST) is a hit among families with elderly relatives. The test, which is comprised of six parts and can be given in under 15 minutes, gives the family a 'snapshot' of the test subject's mental agility. It evaluates over a dozen skills and mental processes most commonly associated with AD. Points are scored for incorrect answers or failure to respond to stimuli, then added to arrive at a test evaluation score. There's a recommended action for each score range. Since most treatments currently available work best in the early stages of AD, early detection is key. Having an initial 'baseline' score against which to measure subsequent tests should lead to earlier detection. It can also put family minds at ease and reassure the test subject as well. The test will be available in bookstores and libraries after May 1st. It can be purchased on the Internet at http://www.alzheimers-research.org/test.html or by phone at 877-427-0220. PR 4/13/99
0499 First In-Home Alzheimer's Test Coming Soon - Beginning May 1st the
In-Home Alzheimer's Screening Test (I-HAST) will be available so that family members, home
care nurses, and social workers can administer and score in the privacy of the test
subject's home. To make it even more accessible, it will be available through bookstores
and libraries, a major departure from current tests which are generally conducted in a
physician's office. The test concentrates on mental agility in a half dozen areas most
commonly affected by AD. It comes with easy-to-follow instructions as
well as all the 'props' needed to administer it. The six parts of the test resemble a
word-and- pictures game, take an average of less than ten minutes to administer, and
grading is equally simple; points are scored for missed answers, then totaled. Suggested
indications and follow-up actions are provided for each scoring range. The I-HAST can be
purchased for under $30 and may be used periodically to monitor the test subject. To
purchase the test materials call toll-free 877-427-0220, write the Alzheimer's Research
Foundation, Inc, P.O. Box 9106, Virginia Beach, VA 23450, visit the foundation's web site
at http://www.alzheimers-research.org, or
contact their local bookstore. PR 3/25/99
1198 Noninvasive Test Detects AD - A scanning technology called near-infrared fluorescent spectroscopy could form a basis for the noninvasive diagnosis of AD in living patients according to researchers at the Bedford Veteran's Administration Medical in Bedford MA. The near-infrared end of the light spectrum passes easily and harmlessly through the bones of the skull. Once these rays penetrate the brain itself, they reflect back wavelength patterns corresponding to each type of tissue encountered. The researchers have tested the technology on post-mortem tissue samples taken from the brains of both healthy and AD patients and discovered very clear differences between fluoroscopy patterns produced by both types of tissues and in blinded studies they had a near-100% accuracy rate in diagnosing AD-affected tissues. The researchers plan to study the use of near-infrared fluorescent spectroscopy in the diagnosis of living patients and if successful, the technology might be available for clinical use within 3 to 5 years. The researchers note that although there are no effective treatments for cases of advanced AD, early detection may allow initiation of treatment designed to slow the progression of AD. There's some evidence now that oxidative damage or inflammatory changes may be important, and if you could detect someone very early and start treating them, you would have a good chance of having a good outcome. Reuters 10/19/98
LCM (Laser Capture Microdissection)
0699 Arcturus' PixCell a Finalist for Technological Innovation Award in Medical Diagnostics - Arcturus Engineering, Inc.'s PixCell™ Laser Capture Microdissection (LCM) system as a finalist in the 1999 Discover Magazine Award for Technological Innovation. The PixCell II™ LCM system was developed by Arcturus in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health. It is used in the research, prognosis and diagnosis of cancer, multiple sclerosis, arteriosclerosis, AD, AIDS, hepatitis, and fetal cell analysis. The system permits precision molecular analysis of a single cell or group of cells from solid tissue samples or cytological smears, providing critical infor- mation regarding the molecular and cellular basis of diseases. Dr. Robert Bonner of the NIH stated "When coupled with PCR and other exquisitely sensitive tools, LCM allows us to examine the complex molecular fingerprint of early stages of cancer (and other diseases) soon leading, we hope, to better prevention, diagnosis, and treatment." According to Dr. Lance Liotta of the NIH, "This technique allows us to study the disease while it is in progress -- and that is really powerful information to have in designing strategies to halt the disease process. Molecular analysis of pure cell populations in their native tissue environment is a critical element of the upcoming revolution in medical genetics and proteomics." See the NIH web site http://dir.nichd.nih.gov/lcm/LCM_Werbsite_Introduction.htm for more on this technique (yes "werbsite" is misspelled). PR 5/11/99
Markers in Urine to Detect Free-Radical Formation
0299 UF Researcher Finds Way to Slow the Aging Process - Researcher's at the University of Florida found that anti-oxidant intervention, which can come from taking vitamin supplements or from a steady routine of exercise, slows parts of the aging process. The study also was the first of its kind to show that levels of oxidation in the body can be determined noninvasively, by using specific markers in the urine. This will allow people to measure their levels of muscle oxidation more quickly and easily. The marker found in the urine also may be useful as an indicator of other medical problems, which will contribute not only to slowing the aging process but also to protecting people against various diseases. This marker could be useful in assessing a variety of conditions, like AD, atherosclerosis, cancer and the aging process itself. They've all been associated with increased free-radical formation, which can be detected in the urine. PR 1/25/99 referring to American Journal of Physiology Jan 1999
Mito-Load™ assay (Blood based in vitro nucleic acid test)
0399 MitoKor Announces Two New Collaborations to Advance Mitochondrial Technology - One is a licensing agreement with SRL, Inc. of Tokyo, Japan by which SRL acquires the right to use MitoKor's proprietary Mito-Load(TM) assay and software for diagnosing AD and for selecting candidates for human clinical trials. The collaboration advances MitoKor's effort to commercialize proprietary diagnostic tests for AD. The Mito-Load(TM) assay is a blood-based in vitro nucleic acid test, which measures alterations in mitochondrial DNA. SRL intends to make the assay available to physicians to aid in the diagnosis of AD and to pharmaceutical companies to help streamline human clinical trials of AD drugs. AD is a significant health concern in Japan, especially given the country's aging population. PR 2/16/99
Motion Blindness (Visual Disorientation)
0499 Motion Blindness' Causes Some AD Trouble - AD victims may get lost not because they are confused, but because of a kind of physical blindness called "motion blindness." Writing in the March 23, 1999 issue of the journal Neurology, Dr. Charles Duffy and colleagues at the University of Rochester in New York said some people with AD just are not getting enough information to their brains to navigate. "People with AD get lost not because they can't remember where they've been, but because they can't see where they're going," he said. "Many of these patients are basically blind to the kinds of cues most of us absorb unconsciously every day. It's almost like they're walking around with their eyes closed." Duffy said it might be possible to pick out patients most in danger of losing their way while driving or walking. He has done some experiments including having them walk from the hospital lobby to the lab and having them sit in front of a screen to watch computer-generated moving patterns of dots and from these test he can identify those patients in danger. Because visual disorientation is an early symptom in many AD patients, it could be useful in diagnosing the disease, the researchers suggest. It could also help identify those patients at greater risk for getting lost so families could better judge whether or not to allow the patient to drive or take walks alone, Duffy concludes. Reuters 3/28/99 Neurology 1999;52:958-965
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
0599 MRI Scan Can Show Early Alzheimer's, Study Shows - Dr. Scott Small of Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York said that MRI scans may be useful for checking for early signs of AD. "The most promising research in AD is targeted at halting progression of the disease as soon as possible,'' he said in a statement. "We don't anticipate being able to correct the memory and reasoning loss after a patient's full cognitive decline into the disease. Therefore, the earlier we can diagnose and develop treatments for AD patients, the better. This noninvasive technique, called functional MRI, is able to determine dysfunction in the brain's entorhinal region of the hippocampus, the brain's key structure for controlling memory." Small said "We believe patients with dysfunction in the entorhinal region have early AD. Those with age-related memory decline have dysfunction in different regions of the hippocampus.'' Reuters 4/26/99
0599 MRI Scans May Detect Early AD - This detection can take place at an
extremely early stage, decades before the recognizable dementia of AD,
reports Dr. Mony de Leon of New York University (NYU). In a study of elderly patients with
progressive memory impairment, de Leon and colleagues used MRI scans to measure glucose
metabolism and the volume of different brain regions, including the entorhinal cortex,
hippocampus and temporal lobe neocortex, one of the most evolved parts of the brain. The
results suggest that there was a three-stage sequence of events that occurred in the
progression of AD. The first of the three stages appears to begin in the
section of the brain known as the entorhinal cortex, and may last for 20 to 30 years,
causing relatively few and minor problems such as mild forgetfulness. However, once the
entorhinal cortex begins to atrophy (shrink), the disease appears to spread to the
hippocampus, an important region of the brain for learning and memory. In the third and
final stage -- when most diagnoses are made -- changes occur in the cerebral cortex
causing the dementia and extreme memory loss that are characteristic of the disease. But
more study is needed to confirm the findings before MRI can be widely introduced as a
diagnostic test in AD. Reuters Health 4/21/99
0199 Alzheimer's Patients Get New Scan - Researchers at New York
University have developed a new magnetic resonance image brain-scanning method focusing on
the entorhinal cortex that may be able to detect AD in its early stages.
The entorhinal cortex, a part of the brain responsible for memory, was 27 percent smaller
in people with mild AD than in their healthy counterparts. Dr. Zaven
Khachaturian was quoted that the NYU study lends evidence to the argument that the onset
of AD comes earlier than old age and that it simply takes decades to
manifest itself. AP 1/1/99
0998 New Japanese Technology Helps Diagnose Dementia - A new way of
imaging the brain in three dimensions could make it easier to diagnose AD and distinguish
from other kinds of dementia such as frontotemporal dementia or FTD. Researchers at Himeji
Institute of Tech. in Japan have found a way to take MRI images and create a
three-dimensional picture in just five minutes. They wrote new computer software that ties
together the thinly sliced images that an MRI takes. This technique might help make a
quicker and more accurate diagnosis possible. Reuters 7/13/98 Radiology
1998;208:431-39
0298 Imaging May Allow Early and Accurate AD Diagnosis - Non-invasive
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can examine two alterations to the brain's hippocampus,
the center of memory and cognitive thinking, and the results can be used to increase early
diagnosis of AD.
0699 Nymox Corporation Announces Year-end Results - Revenues for 1998 increased to U.S. $257,508 from U.S. $65,943 in 1997, due in part to higher interest revenue and to increased sales. More than 50%, or U.S. $61,800, of the sales revenue for 1998 was generated in the fourth quarter when the AD7C™ urine test became available. Nymox currently markets the AD7C™ test as an aid to physicians in the diagnosis and management of AD. The Nymox AD7C™ test is the only test proven in multiple, double-blind coded clinical trials with independent physicians to be accurate and consistently useful. PR 5/14/99
0299 Nymox Corporation and Specialty Laboratories Agree to Co-Market AD7C™ AD
Test in the US - This test is a urinary test for AD which Nymox
says is the only sufficiently accurate test of its kind. The AD7C™
test has been proven in large independent clinical trials throughout the U.S. and was
recently introduced for marketing by Nymox. The agreement with Specialty Laboratories is
expected to have a major impact on the test's utilization in the U.S. PR 1/25/99
0199 Nymox's Alzheimer Test Shown to Have Expanded Clinical Usefulness - Nymox announced that clinical testing with the AD7C test has been shown to be useful to aid in the diagnosis of dementia associated with Down syndrome. Individuals with Down syndrome have the changes of AD in their brains at a relatively early age, and the finding of positive AD7C testing in these cases further establishes the usefulness and validity of the AD7C test technology. PR 12/18/98
1298 Nymox Announces Further Independent Clinical Study Data Verification of Its
AD7C-NTP AD Testing Technology - At the meeting of the Gerontological Society of
America new data from an independent multi-center follow-up study of dementia patients was
presented which verified the accuracy of the Nymox AD7C(tm)-NTP test as an aid to
physicians in the diagnosis of AD. Samples from practicing physicians
from many areas of the U.S. were sent to the Nymox Clinical Reference Laboratory in
Rockville, Maryland, where they were analyzed for AD7C(tm)-NTP, the neural thread protein
which is elevated in patients with AD. PR 11/23/98
1098 Nymox Announces AD Urinary Test - Nymox Pharmaceutical Corp. announced a peer-reviewed publication on the new AD7C(TM) urinary assay for AD has appeared in the Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Analysis (September 1998; vol. 12: 285-288). The report documents in specific detail the AD7C urine test method and results from coded, double blind trials on 200 individuals. The results have shown that urinary AD7C is a useful peripheral AD marker which can significantly aid the physician in the diagnosis of AD. For people with suspicious symptoms, but who do not actually have AD, AD7C testing helps the physician rule out AD and reassure the patient. It also helps the physician find other causes of symptoms which are often successfully treatable such as depression, metabolic disorders and other conditions. PR 9/17/98
0998 Nymox AD Urine Test Study Positive - Nymox Pharmaceuticals announced
their large multi-center clinical trials of their new urine test for diagnosing AD have
yielded "very positive" results. The AD7C test is now proven to be accurate and
useful as a urinary test for the brain disease. This multi-center trial
results indicate that AD7C can also be detected in urine with a comparable level of
accuracy, thus enabling urinary AD7C to be highly useful clinical tool. Reuters
8/13/98
0998 Nymox AD Test Supported - Nymox reports new data confirming the
accuracy, utility and specificity of the company's AD7C test in AD. Results of the study
comparing the Nymox AD7C test which measures lumbar CSF levels of AD7C-NTP to several
other measurements found theat AD7C was substantially more accurate than any of the other
markers studied PR 7/21/98
0798 Nymox - New Study on Their AD7C AD Testing - A new study has
confirmed and extended the accuracy of Nymox's AD7C test to aid physicians in the
diagnosis of AD. The clinical study is based on collaboration with 50 independent
physicians and their patients' samples were tested in the laboratory under blind coded
conditions. The study is published in the Journal of Contemporary Neurology June 30,
1998 PR 7/6/98
0598 Nymox Pharmaceutical Corp. Announces Independent Clinical Study Verification
of its AD7C-NTP Alzheimer Testing Technology - Nymox announced that an
independent multicenter follow-up study of dementia patients has verified the accuracy of
the Nymox AD7C-NTP test as an aid to physicians in the diagnosis of AD. The results will
be presented at the American Geriatrics Society meeting in May and are expected to be
published at a later time. PR 4/7/1998
0298 Scientist Close in On a Test for AD - A test which measures the AD7c-NTP protein levels in cerebrospinal fluid may soon be used to provide an early diagnosis of AD. A urine test for this protein will be disclosed in 1998 by Nymox Pharmaceutical Corp.
PET (Positron Emission Tomography)
0599 Mobile P.E.T. Systems Announces Debut of First-Ever Mobile Positron Emission Tomography Unit in North America -Mobile P.E.T. Systems Inc., the first provider of mobile state-of-the-art Positron Emission Tomography (P.E.T.) diagnostic imaging, announced 5/6/99 that the world's first mobile P.E.T. unit is on its way from CTI PET Systems in Knoxville, Tenn., to Southern California to service medical centers. "The launch of MBPT's mobile service business opens up the opportunity for a greater number of physicians and hospitals to offer P.E.T. imaging services in their communities -- and to do so in an affordable manner," said Paul Crowe, president and chief executive officer of MBPT. Whole-body P.E.T. scanning produces images of the body based on functional rather than anatomic characteristics, and uncovers abnormalities that might otherwise go undetected. P.E.T. can also detect AD one to two years before the diagnosis would be made clinically. To learn more about MBPT, visit the company's Web site at www.mobilepet.com. PR 5/6/99
0399 Pioneer of P.E.T. Technology Joins MBPT Medical Advisory Board - He
is Dr. Peter Stephen Conti. He has always considered "the mobile approach would be a
cost-effective means of delivery of this emerging clinical technology. Plus, the mobile
model has been proven successful with other imaging modalities. The high cost and limited
utilization of PET have made it prohibitive for small hospitals to purchase their own
dedicated imaging equipment. Mobile PET, therefore, would provide access to this
technology by patients at many of these locations who would not otherwise be able to
obtain it, and significantly increase the number users in the community." Whole-body
PET imaging uncovers abnormalities that might otherwise go undetected. Physicians may then
apply the most appropriate treatment for the detected disease. For example, PET can detect
tumors unseen by other imaging techniques, or detect AD one to two years
before the diagnosis would be made clinically. PR 2/18/99
0299 Mobile PET Systems, Inc. - In a recent press release they state
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is an advanced imaging technique that assists in the
diagnosis and management of numerous diseases. PET allows the physician to examine the
whole patient at once, by producing images of the body based on functional rather than
anatomic characteristics. These images show body metabolism and other functions rather
than simply the gross anatomy and structure revealed by conventional x-rays, CT, or MRI
scans. Whole body PET imaging uncovers abnormalities that might otherwise go undetected.
Physicians may then apply the most appropriate treatment for the detected disease. For
example, PET can detect tumors unseen by other imaging techniques, or detect AD
one to two years before the diagnosis would be made clinically. PR 1/28/99
Protein-bound Acrolein (marker of oxidative damage to protein)
0299 Protein-Bound Acrolein: A Novel Marker of Oxidative Stress in AD - Several lines of evidence support the role of oxidative stress, including increased lipid peroxidation, in the pathogenesis of AD. Lipid peroxidation generates various reactive aldehydes, such as 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE), which have been detected immunochemically in AD, particularly in neurofibrillary tangles, one of the major diagnostic lesions in AD brains. A recent study demonstrated that acrolein, the most reactive among the a,b-unsaturated aldehyde products of lipid peroxidation, could be rapidly incorporated into proteins, generating a carbonyl derivative, a marker of oxidative stress to proteins. The current results by N.Y. Calingasan at the Cornell University Medical Center suggest that protein-bound acrolein is a powerful marker of oxidative damage to protein and support the hypothesis that lipid peroxidation and oxidative damage to protein may play a crucial role in the formation of neurofibrillary tangles and to neuronal death in AD. J. Neurochem. 72, 751-756 (2/99).
0299 New AD Diagnostic Method - Researchers in England have a novel test for AD which uses nothing more than shining a red light through the skull. They have found a particular color of red laser light which passes easily through bone, skin and blood. When it reaches the brain it causes fluorescence in the near-infrared, which can be seen through the skull and analyzed. In tests on autopsy specimens, this completely painless and noninvasive technique successfully diagnosed 21 out of 22 cases of AD, although the researchers still don't know what features of the disease the light is picking up on. Clinical trials in living patients are in the works, and the ease with which the procedure can be performed offers hope for faster evaluations of treatments for AD. By Stephen Reucroft & John Swain, Globe Correspondents, Health News, 01/25/99 citing Laser Focus World, January 1999
SPECT - Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography
0798 Brain Scan May Help Detect AD - Doctors may soon be able to use high-tech brain scanning devices known as single photon emission computed tomography scans, or SPECT, to determine if people with memory problems are at risk of developing AD. A review of the SPECT scans of 136 AD patients showed reduced blood flow readings in four areas of the brain where three of those areas in the brain are related to memory. Those areas may be the first affected in early AD. Researchers hope the findings will help lead to earlier diagnosis and better treatment of the disease, which at present can neither be halted nor reversed. CNN 6/22/98 citing Neurology June 1998
Trodet Imaging System (Dopamine Transporter)
0998 Novel Imaging Agent Provides Insight Into Brain's Message Deliver System - The imaging system "Trodat" developed at the Univ. of Penn. can be used to determine whether the dopamine transporter is working correctly, or if it is unbalanced which leads to neurological and psychological illnesses that are linked to dopamine changes. Trodat can be a valuable tool for live diagnosis and treatment of illnesses associate with dopamine transporters. Such illnesses include Parkinson's and AD, as well as schizophrenia and ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). PR 8/25/98
Testing_Cumulative.htm