Early diagnosis for Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia: clinical needs, limitations and future aspects
Lecturer:	Professor Yong Shen Sun Health Research Institute, Sun City, Arizona, USA
Date:	April 9, 2010(Friday) 14:20-15:50
Room:	The 3rd Lecture Room for Faculty of Engineering in Okayama University
Summary: An early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other types of dementia-causing disorders is vital in order to achieve effective treatments. Fortunately, in the recent years the search for specific biomarkers has undergone a rapid evolution. New technologies in proteomics and genomics have permitted great advances in defining biochemical markers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and in blood. Novel imaging techniques are also improving the diagnosis and early detection of brain changes in vivo. Furthermore, combined analysis of different biomolecules, or of biochemical and neuroimaging studies, increase diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. However, the discovery of sensitive and specific biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases needs to overcome some important challenges.