MAPPING ALZHEIMER'S
Though there's no cure for Alzheimer's Disease, the earlier it's diagnosed, the more effectively it can be treated. The problem is there's never been a conclusive way to diagnose the disease's progression until now.
 |
Transcript of the story
|
|
Healthy For Life Extra
extra information about the story |
|
For More Information
where to go for help |
It took dedicated researchers, and a super computer, to produce this 7-second video image. What it reveals may change the future of Alzheimer's Disease.
Paul Thompson, Ph.D.
Professor of Neurology
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
"You actually get a physical picture of how the devastation of Alzheimer's is spreading across the brain, which parts of the brain are affected, and how fast."
The sequence is actually a composite of a dozen patients who had MRI's over a year and a half. This computer combined the brain scans into a moving image. The red areas show brain cells dying.
Paul Thompson, Ph.D.
"So memory areas lose tissue first, and that makes sense 'cause memory is the first to go, then the emotional areas of the brain, the areas involved in self control, are the next to go."
For people like Ray Averill, the new technology could buy time. He's showing early signs of what may be Alzheimer's.
Ray Averill
Has early Alzheimer's
"Verbally when I want to talk, I will have difficulty getting the right word out. Though I know what the word is, my mouth won't say the right thing."
If Ray does have early Alzheimer's Disease, the new technology could help get him the treatment he'll need to slow the progression.
Ray Averill
"They'll be able to make the change and say, 'Oh, this isn't gonna be able to work on him. See what's happened here. Now we'll try this one.'"
Researchers say that may now be possible thanks to these images that are catching Alzheimer's red-handed.
Alzheimer's Disease kills off brain cells at a rate of 5-to-10% a year. As many as seven million americans have the disease.
HARD TO DIAGNOSE, IMPOSSIBLE TO CURE: Ten percent of people over age 65 develop the memory loss and dementia that characterize Alzheimer's disease. In spite of its prevalence, there is no cure for the little-understood disease. Alzheimer's attacks and kills brain cells in a fairly predictable pattern. The brain's memory center is the first to suffer, followed by the part of the brain that controls emotion. Researchers say the illness kills 5 percent to 10 percent of the patient's brain cells each year, eventually resulting in disorientation and a total lack of ability to cope with everyday life.
Though the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease are distinct, it has traditionally been impossible to positively identify until the patient succumbs and an autopsy can be performed.
A NEW LOOK AT AN OLD DISEASE: Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Queensland in Australia have used state-of-the-art technology to create the first three-dimensional moving images depicting the progression of Alzheimer's disease. They gave a dozen volunteers with Alzheimer's disease magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans periodically over 18 months. Then, all of the images were fed into a super computer, which merged them into a basic model. Finally, the computer created an animation sequence by "morphing" one image into the next. The result is a stunning representation of the human brain being overtaken by a wave of invading disease. Like a prairie fire, Alzheimer's disease can be seen enveloping brain cells, which turn red to signify they have been killed.
Paul Thompson, Ph.D., from UCLA, is a leading researcher for the project. He says the results offer clear implications for better Alzheimer's treatments in the future. "You actually get a physical picture of how the devastation of Alzheimer's is spreading across the brain, which parts of the brain are affected, and how fast," he says. Thompson points out a single MRI scan can identify dead brain cells. However, only the new imagery can clearly show the rate of disease progression, and even a patient's response to medication. Doctors will soon be able to use the imagery to determine exactly how well a given drug is working, and even where in the brain it is working. Doctors will no longer have to evaluate a patient's symptoms to make such judgments.
FAST TRACK: The technology is still in the experimental stage, but Thompson insists it will not be long before the time-lapse technique can be put to practical use. He says, "We will urgently apply this method to reveal how drugs and vaccines combat the wave of brain damage caused by Alzheimer's disease."
UCLA Alzheimer's Disease Research Center
710 Westwood Plaza , Room 2238
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1769
(310) 206-5238
adc@ucla.edu
Paul Thompson, Ph.D.
University of California, Los Angeles
David Geffen School of Medicine
4328 Reed Neurology
710 Westwood Plaza
www.loni.ucla.edu/~thompson/thompson.html
thompson@loni.ucla.edu
Copyright © 2003 Ivanhoe Broadcast News, Inc.
|
|
|
|
REVERSING SCLERODERMA
A risky treatment could be the answer for patients with serious forms of this disease. 
COLONOSCOPY-NOT JUST FOR COLON CANCER
A virtual colonoscopy detects a wide range of diseases outside the colon, which could save lives. June is national Scleroderma Awareness Month!
CLEARER MRI
A new invention helps doctors get clearer images of people who can't lie still.
HELP FOR BLOOD PRESSURE
An investigational device could help patients with this condition stay healthier.
SEEING THE HEART IN 3D
Researchers in the Netherlands are using virtual reality to see the heart like never before.
PANCREATIC CANCER VACCINE
A vaccine increases survival for patients with this deadly form of cancer.
NEW HELP FOR ALCOHOLICS
People who suffer from addiction may have a new option in the form of a pill.
TREATING URINARY INCONTINENCE
A sling helps women with this common problem find relief.
ROBOT REHAB FOR STROKE
A new robot is helping stroke patients recover without a therapist.
STEM CELLS HEAL HEARTS
Donor stem cells may be the answer for patients who suffer a heart attack.
BREATHING WITH EMPHYSEMA
A new, nonsurgical procedure could help patients breathe more easily.
DOPPLER PREDICTS STROKE
The same technology used to forecast a storm is helping doctors understand strokes and migraines.
BETTER BYPASS SURGERY
Cutting-edge technology allows doctors to fix a coronary bypass operation while the patient is still in surgery.
BETTER KIDNEY TRANSPLANT TREATMENT
A new treatment could reduce the risk of rejection within six months of a transplant.
WRAPPING RADIATION AROUND TUMORS
New technology allows doctors to target tumors with better precision.
CUTTING-EDGE SURGERY EDUCATION
Huge monitors and microscopic cameras are making it easier for surgeons to teach residents complicated procedures.
LUNG CANCER VACCINE
A vaccine under study offers hope for some patients who are diagnosed with this deadly cancer.
EASIER COLON CANCER TEST
A blood test may be the future in screening for colon cancer.
STEM CELLS FIGHT LUPUS
Using a patient's own stem cells could provide a cure for this devastating disease.
NEW SINUS RELIEF WITH A BALLOON
A new technique pushes sinus blockages out of the way and results in less pain.
HUNTINGTON'S HELP
A drug already approved in Europe and Canada could offer hope to patients who are plagued by this disease.
INHALED CHEMO
A new twist on standard chemotherapy offers less side effects and better precision.
STRENGTHENING BRITTLE BONES
A drug to treat osteoporosis is helping patients with a disease that weakens their bones.
BIRD FLU: BE PREPARED
Find out what you can do to prepare for the flu that experts think will hit the states in the coming months.
|
Send email to news@wchstv.com for information or comments concerning WCHS-TV Eyewitness News.
