Thursday, February 26, 2015

México Study Uses Skin Test for Alzheimer

Yesterday doctors from the Central Hospital of San Luis Potosi released a study that could revolutionize the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. The doctors studied 53 volunteers with various forms of dementia to analyze skin samples for differing amounts of certain proteins and compared the results with 12 healthy people.
The study shows that through a skin biopsy medical personnel can detect abnormally high levels of proteins which are characteristic of these pathologies.
Ildefonso Rodríguez Leyva, specialist who led the research, said skin biopsies from those with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s had higher levels of the protein phospho-tau when compared with healthy people, while Parkinson’s sufferers also had higher levels of alpha-synuclein protein.
The researchers said the preliminary results suggest that the skin could be a useful way of detecting the diseases. There is yet to be a definitive diagnostic test for dementia.
Rodríguez Leyva said, “We hope to publish our results for dissemination to the scientific community so others can repeat our study.” He noted, however, that their study will be presented at the 67th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, to be held in Washington on 18 and 25 April.
Dr. Simon Ridley, head of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said, “These new findings are yet to be published in full and it is too early to say whether this preliminary study will lead to a new way of identifying people with Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s.”
(from La Verdad)

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