Quick signs of Alzheimer’s disease, from an article in the UK Telegraph online magazine. In case I forget:
1: The earliest detectable change is a drop in spinal fluid level of the key ingredient of Alzheimer’s brain plaques. This can be detected up to 25 years before the age of onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
2: The Alzheimer’s plaques in the brain can be seen on a modern brain scan 15 years before memory issues become apparent.
3: Increases in levels of Tau protein in the spinal fluid at 15 years prior to onset of Alzheimer’s.
4: Shrinkage in parts of the brain becomes apparent 15 years prior to Alzheimer’s.
5: The patients brains use of glucose is reduced (which could be linked to the size reduction) and memory issues surface. These can be detected up to 10 years before full onset.
Knowing the early warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease is great and all, but how do we stop it?! or even just slow it down. Also, what causes it? These are the questions i’d like an answer to.