Abstract
The diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) for cases with dementia may be too late to allow effective treatment. Criteria for diagnosis of preclinical AD suggested by the Alzheimer's Association include the use of molecular and structural biomarkers. Preclinical diagnosis will enable testing of new drugs and forms of treatment toward achieving successful preventive treatment. But what are the advantages for the individual? To know that someone who is cognitively normal is probably going to develop AD's dementia when there is no effective preventive treatment is definitely not good news. A research method whereby volunteers are assigned to receive treatment or placebo without knowing whether they are in the control or at-risk arm of a trial would overcome this potential problem. If these new criteria are used wisely they may represent a relevant milestone in the search for a definitive treatment for AD.
Key words:
Alzheimer's disease; preclinical diagnosis; biomarkers
Resumo
O diagnóstico da doença de Alzheimer (DA) quando já existe demência pode ser tarde demais para permitir um tratamento eficaz. Critérios para o diagnóstico pré-clínico da AD sugeridos pela Associação de Alzheimer incluem o uso de biomarcadores moleculares e estruturais. O diagnóstico pré-clínico possibilitará avaliar novos medicamentos e formas de tratamento para alcançar o sucesso do tratamento preventivo. Mas quais são as vantagens do diagnóstico pré-clínico para o indivíduo? Receber a informação de que provavelmente irá se manifestar a demência da DA quando não existe um método eficaz de prevenção não é definitivamente uma boa notícia. Um método de pesquisa onde os voluntários sejam incluídos para receber tratamento ou placebo, sem saber se estão no grupo controle ou no grupo de risco, pode ser uma maneira de resolver este problema. Se esses novos critérios forem utilizados com sabedoria serão um marco relevante na busca do tratamento definitivo da DA.
Palavras-chave:
doença de Alzheimer; diagnóstico pré-clínico; biomarcadores
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Publication Dates
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Publication in this collection
Oct-Dec 2010
History
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Received
10 June 2010 -
Accepted
11 Aug 2010
