Technology - detecting Alzheimer's disease before symptoms appear

A molecular imaging technology developed by researchers at Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan, Israel, could open new perspectives in the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. According to EFE, the new method allows the identification of microscopic protein aggregates associated with the early stages of the disease, which until now could not be detected by conventional imaging methods.

• Target: the first changes produced by the disease

The research focused on beta-amyloid oligomers, small protein accumulations that scientists believe play a key role in the onset of Alzheimer's disease, many years before clinical symptoms appear. Unlike beta-amyloid plaques, which can be observed by current imaging techniques, these small aggregates remain invisible to the diagnostic tools currently used. The team coordinated by Professor Shai Rahimipour has developed a molecular imaging system capable of locating these deposits and making them visible in laboratory studies.

• Possible contribution to early diagnosis

According to the researchers, beta-amyloid oligomers can cause damage to brain cells before other specific signs of Alzheimer's disease can be detected. The study authors believe that the new technology could improve the diagnosis of the condition in its early stages and could provide a more precise tool for evaluating the effectiveness of treatments designed to slow the progression of the disease. For now, the results have been obtained in laboratory studies, but the researchers believe that the method could represent an important step in the development of diagnostic techniques capable of identifying Alzheimer's disease before neurological damage becomes irreversible, according to EFE.