Latest news with #AlzheimersAssociation
Forbes
6 days ago
- Health
- Forbes
Breakthrough Alzheimer's Blood Test Explained By Neurologists
Whether you're noticing changes in your memory that are affecting your daily life, caring for a loved one recently diagnosed with dementia, evaluating a patient as a physician, or simply worried about someone close to you, the recent FDA clearance of the Lumipulse blood test for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is a significant development that you should be aware of. Here's what you need to know about this Breakthrough Alzheimer's blood test. The Lumipulse G pTau217/β-Amyloid 1-42 Plasma Ratio test is designed for the early detection of amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease in adults aged 55 years and older who are showing signs and symptoms of the condition. If you've witnessed a loved one gradually lose their memories due to the impact of amyloid plaques in their brain, you understand how important a test like this can be. The Lumipulse test measures the levels of two proteins—pTau 217 and β-Amyloid 1-42—in plasma and calculates the ratio between them. This ratio is correlated with the presence or absence of amyloid plaques in the brain, potentially reducing the need for more invasive procedures like PET scans or spinal fluid analysis. Dr. Phillipe Douyon, a neurologist and author of '7 Things You Should Be Doing to Minimize Your Risk of Dementia,' notes that the Alzheimer's Association has reported that 50-70% of symptomatic patients in community settings are inaccurately diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. In specialized memory clinics, this misdiagnosis rate drops to 25-30%. 'Having a test that provides early and accurate insights into the cause of someone's dementia could be a massive game changer,' says Dr. Douyon. This new test follows the recent FDA approval of two medications, lecanemab and donanemab, which are highly effective in removing amyloid from the brain. Clinical trials have shown that these treatments can slow the progression of dementia. Currently, to qualify for these medications, patients must undergo expensive examinations, such as a brain amyloid PET scan or a lumbar puncture to analyze their spinal fluid. Many patients, however, do not have access to PET imaging or specialist care. 'A blood test makes diagnostic procedures more accessible and benefits underserved populations,' says Dr. Haythum Tayeb, a neurologist at WMCHealth. 'It also enables earlier and more personalized care planning, even before formal treatment begins. This empowers patients and their families to make informed decisions sooner,' Dr. Tayeb adds. While this blood test may improve access to care for patients from communities lacking neurology and other specialty services, it is recommended to use it only for individuals experiencing memory problems, rather than for those who are asymptomatic. 'Given that there is no specific treatment indicated for asymptomatic persons, there is a risk of introducing psychological harm at this stage,' warns Dr. James Noble who is Professor of Neurology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and author of Navigating Life With Dementia. 'Healthy approaches to lifestyle will remain central in adulthood whether or not someone has a positive test, and that advice will not really change,' adds Dr. Noble. Living a healthy lifestyle can significantly enhance brain health, regardless of whether a person has an abnormal accumulation of amyloid in their brain. Key factors include regular exercise, following a healthy diet such as the Mediterranean diet, getting adequate sleep, engaging in social and cognitive activities. These practices are all essential for maintaining cognitive function. Additionally, taking steps to protect your hearing may help reduce the risk of developing dementia. Anyone experiencing memory loss should consult their medical provider for an evaluation. The provider can conduct basic cognitive testing and determine if a referral to a specialist is necessary. If the individual meets the criteria for testing, the lumipulse blood test should also be considered. 'Looking across the wide landscape of medicine, many other conditions benefit from early detection, diagnosis, and treatment. There is no reason to believe that Alzheimer's disease will be any different' says Dr. Noble. Indeed, screening for diseases like colon cancer, breast cancer, and high blood pressure has significantly extended the average American lifespan. Imagine how much our lives could change if we could screen for Alzheimer's dementia in the same way. This would be particularly useful for patients at higher risk due to age or family history. Providing earlier intervention for Alzheimer's disease could potentially reduce amyloid buildup in the brain, help preserve memories, and allow individuals to live more independently at home, rather than in nursing homes. Another advantage of using a blood test like the Lumipulse blood test is the ability to inform a patient that their memory loss is unlikely to be due to Alzheimer's disease. While a negative blood test does not entirely rule out an Alzheimer's diagnosis, it does make it less probable. This could prompt the medical provider to conduct further testing to identify a more accurate cause for the patient's memory loss. It is reasonable to anticipate that additional blood-based biomarkers for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease and other dementias will be available in the future. Perhaps one day, there will be a dementia panel blood test that can be sent off to provide early diagnosis of a wide range of dementias. Alzheimer's blood testing is not only beneficial for individuals, but it also represents a significant advancement for research. Doctors and scientists can more easily identify individuals in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, which accelerates clinical trials for new medications. This increased diagnostic accuracy can enhance the effectiveness of Alzheimer's clinical trials, as it ensures that patients enrolled have more reliable diagnoses. Consequently, new and more effective treatments could be developed and made available more quickly. The Lumipulse Alzheimer's blood test marks a pivotal moment in our approach to this disease. While patients may still need confirmatory testing through brain imaging or spinal fluid analysis, this blood test enables the medical community to adopt a more proactive, precise, and personalized strategy for diagnosing and treating patients with dementia. This simple blood test brings us one step closer to earlier answers, better care, and renewed hope for millions of people facing the uncertainty of dementia.
Asharq Al-Awsat
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Billy Joel Cancels Dates Over Brain Condition
Pop great Billy Joel is cancelling a series of global tour dates after being diagnosed with a brain condition that worsened because of recent performances, his staff said Friday. "Billy Joel has announced that he will be cancelling all scheduled concerts following a recent diagnosis of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH)," the Piano Man's team wrote on his website. The Alzheimer's Association says that NPH is "is a brain disorder in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain's ventricles." The dates include several in Britain, as well as a packed schedule crisscrossing the United States from July 2025 up until July 2026 when he was due to round off his ambitious string of dates in Charlotte, North Carolina, AFP reported. Joel's team added that "this condition has been exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision, and balance." The "We Didn't Start the Fire" legend wrote "I'm sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience, and thank you for understanding."
Irish Times
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Billy Joel cancels tour and announces brain disorder diagnosis
Billy Joel has cancelled all upcoming concerts after he was diagnosed with the brain disorder normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), the singer announced on Friday. The condition 'has been exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision and balance', according to a statement posted to the 76-year-old singer's official Instagram. 'Under his doctor's instructions, Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period. Billy is thankful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully committed to prioritizing his health.' The Piano Man singer added: 'I'm sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience and thank you for understanding.' Normal pressure hydrocephalus is a condition where excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain's ventricles, leading to difficulty walking, problems with thinking and reasoning and loss of bladder control. It primarily affects people in their 60s and 70s and is often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease, according to the Alzheimer's Association. READ MORE Joel's cancelled dates include 17 stops in North America and England. The tour comes nearly two years after he wrapped a record-breaking residency at Madison Square Garden that began in January 2014. Joel played one show every month at the Manhattan venue for nine years – 150 in total, every one of them sold out. Next month, the world premiere of Billy Joel: And So It Goes, a two-part documentary exploring the Long Island-bred musician's life and career, will kick off the Tribeca film festival in New York. The project, directed by Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin, contains footage of unreleased performances as well as archival photographs, 'intimate' home movies and exclusive interviews. Joel's team added that the 23-time Grammy winner is 'thankful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully committed to prioritizing his health. He is grateful for the support from fans during this time and looks forward to the day when he can once again take the stage'. – Guardian
The Guardian
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Billy Joel cancels tour after diagnosis with brain disorder normal pressure hydrocephalus
Billy Joel has canceled all upcoming concerts after he was diagnosed with the brain disorder normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), the singer announced on Friday. The condition 'has been exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision and balance', according to a statement posted to the 76-year-old singer's official Instagram. 'Under his doctor's instructions, Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period. Billy is thankful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully committed to prioritizing his health.' The Piano Man singer added: 'I'm sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience and thank you for understanding.' Normal pressure hydrocephalus is a condition where excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain's ventricles, leading to difficulty walking, problems with thinking and reasoning and loss of bladder control. It primarily affects people in their 60s and 70s and is often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease, according to the Alzheimer's Association. Joel's canceled dates include 17 stops in North America and England. The tour comes nearly two years after he wrapped a record-breaking residency at Madison Square Garden that began in January 2014. Joel played one show every month at the Manhattan venue for nine years – 150 in total, every one of them sold out. Next month, the world premiere of Billy Joel: And So It Goes, a two-part documentary exploring the Long Island-bred musician's life and career, will kick off the Tribeca film festival in New York. The project, directed by Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin, contains footage of unreleased performances as well as archival photographs, 'intimate' home movies and exclusive interviews. Joel's team added that the 23-time Grammy winner is 'thankful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully committed to prioritizing his health. He is grateful for the support from fans during this time and looks forward to the day when he can once again take the stage'.
Medscape
19-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
The Three Key Steps to Diagnose Dementia in Primary Care
This transcript has been edited for clarity. Today we're going to discuss a new clinical practice guideline from the Alzheimer's Association on the evaluation and testing for Alzheimer's and related dementias. This is an important area for us in primary care because we are the first clinicians that most patients see when they are concerned they may be having memory problems or dementia symptoms. It's a challenging area and this document provides much-needed guidance. The Alzheimer's Association clinical practice guideline for the Diagnostic Evaluation, Testing, Counseling, and Disclosure of Suspected Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders (DETeCD-ADRD) recommends a three-step approach to diagnosis. The first step is to assess whether there's a cognitive deficit. If there is a cognitive deficit, then assess whether that deficit fits mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or whether it fits mild, moderate, or severe dementia. Remember the main difference between MCI and dementia is that dementia, by definition, interferes with the capacity for independent everyday activities. It's important to get a history from both the patient and a significant other, with attention to activities of daily living, time course of the cognitive decline, and any potential precipitating factors. Patients themselves may not always give the best personal history to provide a complete picture of what's going on, due to factors such as memory impairment, embarrassment, or a lack of self-awareness. In addition, the DETeCD-ADRD guideline recommends performing a mental status exam using a validated instrument like the Montreal Cognitive Assessment or the Mini Mental State Examination. If that evaluation shows that the patient is cognitively unimpaired, then no further evaluation is needed and we can educate the patient about brain healthy behaviors and, of course, plan for follow-up assessment. If the patient does show evidence of cognitive impairment, then it's important to define the effect of that impairment on the patient's function. The second step in the evaluation is to characterize the clinical profile of a patient's cognitive-behavioral syndrome. What this means is that we want — to the degree that is reasonable — to delineate the domains of impairment, which might include memory, executive function, attention, language, and emotional and social functioning. Here's where neuropsychological testing can be helpful, if it's available. These first two steps allow us to develop a plan for personalized care and support. The third step is testing to help figure out the cause of the patient's symptoms. It's important to differentiate Alzheimer's disease from Alzheimer's disease–related dementias (ADRD), such as frontotemporal dementia, Lewy body dementia, multi-infarct or vascular dementia, or mixed vascular and Alzheimer's dementia. It's also important to determine if the cognitive decline is caused by or being made worse by other diseases like depression, sleep apnea, and B12 deficiency or if other factors like the effect of medications (eg, anticholinergics and alcohol) are contributing to the cognitive or behavioral symptoms. Step 3 of the evaluation includes ordering what the guidelines refer to as 'tier 1 laboratory studies.' They are first tier because these are laboratory studies that are considered routine and should be ordered for all patients who have MCI or dementia. The recommended labs should include a complete blood cell count with differential, complete metabolic panel, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and tests for thyroid-stimulating hormone, vitamin B12, homocysteine, and C-reactive protein levels. In addition, the DETeCD-ADRD guideline recommends that physicians order imaging, preferably a brain MRI without gadolinium or, if MRI is contraindicated, a noncontrast head CT. The MRI can rule out tumor, show multiple infarcts, or show regional atrophy patterns that may suggest specific neurodegenerative pathologic changes — but it's important to recognize that the MRI is not in any way diagnostic. The guideline recommends against using the term 'labs for reversible causes of dementia' because the labs only rarely uncover a cause for dementia that is reversible. The guideline authors cite a meta-analysis that showed less than 1% of dementia syndromes are reversible, but nearly 10% of people with dementia have a common comorbid condition that may be contributing to their decrement in cognitive function. This certainly fits my experience. The preferred term for tier 1 labs is a 'cognitive lab panel.' Additional testing, termed tier 2 and 3 tests, are only recommended when necessary on an individual basis. These can include sleep studies and antinuclear antibody, folate, ammonia, lead, Lyme antibody, rapid plasma reagin, and HIV tests. Of course, there are plenty more tests that can be done in specific circumstances. Now what's missing here? How about blood biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease? I recently reviewed the Alzheimer's Association workgroup recommendations on revised criteria for diagnosis and staging of Alzheimer's disease. The key principle which that guideline lays out is that Alzheimer's disease is defined by its biology — neuropathologic changes in the brain, like deposition of amyloid and tau protein. We are now on the cusp of having blood-based biomarkers for amyloid beta and p-tau that will enable us to either rule in or rule out Alzheimer's disease with a high degree of accuracy. It's important to recognize that while the biomarkers are promising and will be incredibly useful, they still need to be further validated in large populations. And although the blood biomarkers can now be ordered through many lab tests, there is not yet a biomarker that is fully approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. In my opinion, start to understand the place of blood biomarkers now, because once they are regulatory approved, they'll become a routine addition to the initial panel of laboratory tests that we typically order when evaluating patients for dementia. Finally, I was thrilled to see that the guidelines specifically acknowledge that in the primary care setting, two or more problem-focused visits would usually be required to assess for dementia. I certainly find that to be the case. When there's uncertainty with regard to diagnosis, early age of onset, rapid progression, and/or consideration of biologic therapy, then referral to a dementia specialist makes sense. This is an important update and it provides a clear, straightforward approach which allows us to evaluate patients for dementia with confidence. I'm interested in your thoughts, please leave them in the comments section below. For Medscape, I'm Dr Neil Skolnik.
