Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., DACBN, MS, CFMP
Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia. Its symptoms vary but may start with mild memory loss or difficulty remembering words or names. As it progresses, Alzheimer's causes worsening confusion and memory loss, changes in personality, the inability to perform everyday tasks and more.
Alzheimer's is caused by a slow build-up of protein plaques and tangles in the brain that eventually cause brain cells to stop working properly.
This build-up usually starts years before a person experiences symptoms. Alzheimer's-related memory loss is caused by brain cells working improperly and dying-a process known as neurodegeneration.
Alzheimer's is estimated to account for about 60% of dementia cases.
Diagnosing Alzheimer's
Until recently, it has been difficult to identify the biological changes that indicate Alzheimer's. The typical evaluation, which includes physical exam, blood and urine tests and cognitive testing may provide ambiguous or conflicting answers, which can result in delayed referrals until symptoms become clearer. That has changed with new technology and testing.
Labcorp has developed a new test called the Amyloid-Tau-Neurodegeneration (ATN) Profile (ATN Profile) to help doctors detect evidence of biological changes consistent with Alzheimer's.
These tests are the first objective tools that doctors have to help evaluate Alzheimer's, meaning that with a simple blood test, doctors and other health professionals allowed to order labs can get a clearer answers on Alzheimer's and its progression and get patients on a care plan earlier.
This will in fact give physicians a simple, objective test for Alzheimer's disease pathology that can help shorten the time to diagnosis.
Labcorp is the first company to make a fully blood-based ATN Profile commercially available.
What is ATN?
The ATN framework establishes a means for classifying biomarkers based on the biological evidence of Alzheimer's disease that each marker provides These markers are divided into three categories to reflect the three primary biological changes associated with Alzheimer's:
A for amyloid plaques: Accumulations of beta-amyloid 42 proteins begin to form plaques in the brain years before initial symptom onset
T for tau tangles:The beta-amyloid 42 accumulation causes misfolding of tau proteins, which tangle into knots and disrupt normal brain cell function
N for neurodegeneratio: Brain cell functional impairment causes the cells to die, which exacerbates the characteristic cognitive impairment symptoms observed in Alzheimer's patients
Does the ATN Profile diagnose Alzheimer's disease?
Biological confirmation of disease is necessary for diagnosis. This test provides evidence of the biological changes that are consistent with Alzheimer's disease. However, Alzheimer's still requires a clinical diagnosis based on clinical observation and cognitive testing.
How accurate is the test?
The ATN Profile was clinically validated using 200 samples from a well-studied cohort in which all samples were characterized with patient age, sex, amyloid PET status, and clinical diagnosis. The beta-amyloid 42/40 ratio assay showed a ROC analysis area under the curve (AUC) of 0.944, with a sensitivity of 96% and specificity of 86.7%.
Click Here is read White Paper on the ATN test
Labcorp Code: 484400
The current price for the test is $626.00 however, Labcorp is talking with health insurers, including the U.S. government's Medicare plan for people age 65 and over, about reimbursement terms for the test.
As a functional practitioner I highly recommend becoming familiar with Dr. Dale Bredesen's program called ReCode: https://www.apollohealthco.com/
It is the first proven program to Optimize Cognition and Reverse Dementia.
Click Here for more details on Dr. Bredesen ReCode progra
Comments from Dr. Grisanti
Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia is feared by our aging population however don't accept this dreaded diagnosis as an end all be all.
Most neurologists are simply not aware of the outstanding work of Dr. Dale Bredesen.
Here is the educational background behind the man who is changing the lives in a positive way for those suffering with Alzheimer's disease.
Dale Bredesen, M.D. is an expert in the mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.
He received his undergraduate degree from Caltech and his medical degree from Duke University. He served as resident and chief resident in neurology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and as postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Nobel Laureate Professor Stanley Prusiner.
I will simply say that--- There is Hope..
** Always consult with a physician or healthcare practitioner with significant integrative or functional medicine training.
You can find a qualified and certified functional medicine practitioner by going to: www.FunctionalMedicineDoctors.com
The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Grisanti and his functional medicine community. Dr. Grisanti encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. Visit www.FunctionalMedicineUniversity.com for more information on our training in functional medicine. Look for practitioners who have successfully completed the Functional Medicine University's Certification Program (CFMP) www.functionalmedicinedoctors.com. This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Dr. Grisanti is required
