A recent study shows that saliva is the key to the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease as a saliva test has been found to detect signs that may indicate cognitive decline. The research focusing on the benefits of saliva test was showed during the 2015 Alzheimer's Association International Conference held in Washington.
The study, which is still in its preliminary stages, offers a promising lead to the neurodegenerative disease. Examining the saliva will enable doctors to look at the changes of its components.
The research included less than 100 individuals who were divided into three groups depending on their mental ability. 22 of the participants are suffering from Alzheimer's disease, 25 have mild cognitive impairment and 35 individuals have normal aging cognition.
With the use of protein analysis technology, researchers were able to analyze the saliva of each of the participants which has around 6,000 metabolites. These tiny molecules are the by-products of chemical reactions undergoing inside the human brain.
After the analysis, the researchers discovered patterns from the groups that have Alzheimer's disease and those having mild mental impairment. The biomarkers were then tested as predictors of brain performance.
Compared to other procedures, saliva test does not require a deeper look into the brain using scanners which means it is cheaper and easy to conduct. Saliva requires little effort to collect which is helpful to patients from remote areas. With this new discovery, medical workers can easily identify affected individuals from different parts of the world for early treatment.
Director of the Alzheimer's Prevention Clinic, Dr. Richard Isaacson reveals that this kind of test is what they are looking for. Around 5.2 million Americans are now affected by the disease which is considered as the 6th principal causes of death in the region.
Alzheimer's disease can affect individuals aging above 60 or 65. Signs like mild memory loss can be observed which will develop into severe dementia. Patients will then have a hard time doing daily tasks.
Scientists have predicted that the number of patients suffering from the illness will triple by the year 2050. Until now, there is still no cure that can totally stop the disease from worsening.