A short report published last week in theJournal of Alzheimer ’s Diseaseclaims that a simple saliva test can determine whether or not a person is at endangerment for developing the incurable neurodegenerative disease by measuring the amount of plaque - formingbeta - amyloid proteintheir body produces . If the level are high , the generator purport that modus vivendi change , such as take a day-by-day regime of anti - inflammatory drugs , can be adopted early for shelve the onset of symptoms and keep down disease severity .
In their much - buzzed - about three - page paper and its accompanyingpress release , Drs Edith and Patrick McGeer of Aurin Biotech State Department that in a2016 investigationthey “ spring up a round-eyed spittle exam that can diagnose AD , as well as predict its succeeding attack ” by quantify levels of the A?42 protein in the eubstance . A?42 is a misproduced protein shard that accumulates – beginning years to 10 before neurological symptoms arise – in the extracellular space of advertising patients ' mentality in cluster calledfibrils . These fibrils are toxic to mental capacity tissue .
The problem ? Their A?42 test was only evaluated in 37 people – a pretty lowly sample size for such sheer claims .
“ While a simple spittle test for Alzheimer ’s sounds appealing , this is very early stage research that needs much more investigation before it could be look at clinically , ” Dr Carol Routledge , manager of inquiry at Alzheimer ’s Research UK , said to theScience Media Centrein response to the new written report .
According to Professor Tara Spires - Jones , atomic number 82 of the UK Dementia Research Institute Programme , the fistful of placebo - insure clinical tryout that directly assess NSAIDs in Alzheimer ’s patient all failed to show any benefit , though she concedes that “ it remains possible that using this eccentric of drug many year before the disease starts could be preventative – but more body of work is needed to be certain . ”
“ The long - term use of certain anti - inflammatories , like isobutylphenyl propionic acid , can increase your risk of other health problems and there is currently insufficient grounds that they are effective or safe to use to prevent Alzheimer ’s disease , ” Dr Routledge added .
