Elder Law

New Alzheimer?s Disease Test Offers Hope of Early Detection

By Levin & Perconti

A new test offers hope that Alzheimer?s Disease can be diagnosed and treated at an earlier stage. The Journal of Alzheimer?s Disease reports in its April issue that researchers have developed a new test, called a computerized self test, to detect brain conditions such as Alzheimer?s Disease. The short and interactive online test gauges impairments in a person?s basic functions of thinking and processing information that are affected by brain injuries and cognitive impairment like Alzheimer?s Disease. The new test is easy for medical providers to administer to patients and is much more effective at detection than older tests. While current tests used to diagnose Alzheimer?s Disease are approximately 70% accurate, this new test has a 96% accuracy rate. Accuracy is extremely important because early detection of Alzheimer?s Disease means a better chance for a patient to receive effective treatment for this brain disorder. The researchers developed the test after recognizing that 60% of Alzheimer?s Disease cases were not diagnosed in a primary care surrounding, leading to a delayed detection and lost treatment opportunities.

The Alzheimer?s Association defines Alzheimer?s Disease as an incurable, progressive brain disorder that destroys brain cells, causes memory loss, and creates thinking and behavior problems. If Alzheimer?s Disease is diagnosed at an early stage, people who suffer from it have more time to make life choices and plan for their future, and have an increased chance of benefiting from treatments that delay the debilitating effects of this brain disorder.

The effects of Alzheimer?s Disease can be severe and patients are often moved into nursing homes so that medical providers can provide permanent care for them. According to Alzheimer?s Association, half of all nursing home residents suffer from Alzheimer?s Disease or a similar disorder. Chicago nursing home lawyers at Levin & Perconti are experienced at representing residents suffering from Alzheimer's who have been victimized by abuse and neglect. For example, our Illinois nursing home negligence lawyers received a $700,000 verdict for the family of a nursing home resident affected by Alzheimer?s Disease who was hit by a car and died when nursing home staff negligently allowed the resident to wander away from the nursing home.

Full post as published by Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Blog on April 09, 2010 (boomark / email).