Skin Test Early Alzheimer's Diagnosis Dr. David J. Demko, gerontologist and editor AgeVenture News Service 08-15-06 A patient waits for an answer. "Yes" or "No". It's a simple answer, but the consequences are a matter of life and death. "Yes" or "No". Is it Alzheimer's? The answer to the Alzheimer's question will come from a skin test. That's because scientists now believe evidence of Alzheimer's can be found throughout the body, not just in the brain. The skin test is simple, painless, and accurate. More importantly, the skin test provides for early detection of Alzheimer's. Early detection means early treatment and early treatment is far more effective. Later detection may be too late. Because with Alzheimer's, the long term effects of brain tissue damage may be far too advanced to respond to treatment. But, this time, the diagnosis comes early. Scientists at the Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute (BRNI) are responsible for this landmark breakthrough in the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). BRNI's research has managed to identify an enzyme in skin cells that is a biomarker for early detection of AD. The skin test, which seeks out the biomarker, could be performed easily by a nurse or medical technician in a doctor’s office or outpatient clinic. Here's how the test works. The skin test produces an Alzheimer’s Index which is a mathematical formula that reports test results as a number. That number (numerical Alzheimer's Index score) is then compared with clinical diagnosis of the attending physician. The combination of the quantitative data (skin test score) and the qualitative data (observation of patient) strengthen the validity of the diagnosis. When the Alzheimer’s Index agrees with the clinical findings, "there is a high probability of accurate diagnosis,” says Alkon. BRNI is now seeking approval to begin clinical trials of the drug Bryo-statin in order to further pursue their AD research. The term statin refers to a classification of drugs that target inflammation. Inflammation is a precursor to a number of diseases. Fortunately, this research development comes just in time as the Baby Boomer generation doubles our nation's older population (from 37 to 78 million), including proportionate increases in cognitive disorders. Unfortunately, the FDA allows for the direct marketing of drugs to the consumer. As a result, patients may now badger doctors for the statin drug. It probably won't be long before opportunists start selling the drug over the Internet from global locations which are not subject to scientific oversight. That's another problem with a different origin. That origin is the free-flow of information in a free society which often makes consumers victims of their own actions. The study, “An Internally Controlled Peripheral Biomarker for Alzheimer’s Disease: Erk1 and Erk2 Responses to the Inflammatory Signal Bradykinin,” appears on the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences website, www.pnas.org. BRNI is an independent research center, affiliated with West Virginia University, which seeks to accelerate the transfer of basic neuroscience discoveries into practical treatments for patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease and other memory disorders. BACK TO TOP