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Can a standard screening tool detect inherited Alzheimer’s?
Natalia Trujillo, Ph.D.
University of Antioquia
Medellin, CA - Colombia
Background
Researchers believe that one’s lifetime risk of developing Alzheimer’s is not from a single cause but rather a combination of multiple factors, including genetics and one’s environment and lifestyle. However, some individuals develop Alzheimer’s as a result of inheriting certain genes. It is unknown whether standard cognitive screening tools for early detection of Alzheimer’s can distinguish individuals with inherited Alzheimer’s compared to individuals with other types of the disease.
Research Plan
Dr. Natalia Trujillo and colleagues will examine whether a standard cognitive screening tool called the TabCAT-Brain Health Assessment is sensitive enough to detect early Alzheimer’s in individuals with the inherited form of the disease who do not have clinical symptoms. They will administer the assessment to 30 individuals with inherited Alzheimer’s and 30 individuals with Alzheimer’s and no family history. The researchers will then compare if the test detected Alzheimer’s in both groups with the same level of accuracy.
Impact
If successful, results from this study may support the use of the TabCAT-Brain Health Assessment for detecting inherited Alzheimer’s before symptom onset.
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