Promising early detection test

Aitan · **Posted:** Wed Oct 17, 2007 12:19 pm

International researchers collaborating with a research team out of Stanford University have identified 18 protein markers in a blood test that are unique to AD patients. The test has a 90% accuracy rate of predicting AD in current AD patients as confirmed by independent clinician diagnosis. For 47 people with mild cognitive impairment, the test was 91% accurate in predicting their future development of AD :shock:

. This diagnostic tool may prove to be a cost efficient way to sooner predict AD, and coupled with new treatments, a method to slow progression.

http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_7182505?source=rss

Lori1955 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 17, 2007 1:18 pm

Now here's the big question, would you want to know??
I don't think I would.

Aitan · **Posted:** Wed Oct 17, 2007 1:41 pm

I am not sure I would want to know either. On one hand I would want to have the opportunity to slow the progression. On the other hand the current pharmaceutical treatment for AD is not convincing enough to be sure that the progression would be significantly slowed. Unless there was a more definitive treatment I think I would prefer to live ignorantly until the symptoms came around. This hypothetical may actually become a reality for me one day being that I may already have a genetic predisposition to AD. Hopefully by then we will crack the code for what truly causes this disease. All we can do until then is stay optimistic. :wink:

Carol · **Posted:** Wed Oct 17, 2007 6:45 pm

OK, call me totally paranoid, but this seems
like a total blessing for... the insurance companies!!!
:twisted:

They get the word on who is liable to come down
with this dreaded disease, and you know darn well
there will be some major fallout for people seeking
insurance (regular health, long-term care...).
Yikes. Talk about a Catch-22!

Lori1955 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 17, 2007 8:57 pm

Absolutely Carol. :evil:

MsAbby · **Joined:** Mon Oct 15, 2007 5:19 pm **Posts:** 3

I think this is mostly good news.
It will empower people to plan their lives better (trip to Yellowstone now rather than in twenty years).
And steer alot more money into Research. (I'd like the cure out there "before" I get AD)...
And more Research is a wonderful thing...

Jezza · **Posted:** Thu Nov 15, 2007 5:44 am

I would love to know. It wouldn't be a weight over my head, just an interesting fact about what I can expect in the future. My mom does NOT want to know, and would rather just live life and take what comes.

Carol · **Posted:** Thu Nov 15, 2007 8:30 am

Wow, Jezza. I'm with your Mom on this one, though!
I love that feeling of blissful ignorance.

Carol

Promising early detection test

Who is online