In an effort to better understand the development of Alzheimer's disease, Florida Hospital Neuroscience Institute and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland are collaborating to identify the biomarker assay that may predict early onsets of the disease.
Scientists from VTT and the University of Eastern Finland recently teamed up to discover a serum biochemical signature which predicts progression to Alzheimer's disease. From this, VTT was able to develop a biomarker assay. Florida Hospital and VTT have since come together to evaluate screening, diagnostic and prognostic potential of the biomarker essay.
"Our commitment as a hospital to researching how Alzheimer's disease begins is extremely important for early detection studies and eventually finding a cure for the disease," said Debbie Spielman, AVP Florida Hospital Neuroscience Institute. "Early disease detection can assist in discovering which pharmacological treatment or lifestyle changes would be most beneficial for the patient approaching the early stages of Alzheimer's disease."
According to the Alzheimer's Association, more than 5 million Americans are living with the disease. There are an increasing number of new cases diagnosed annually with increasing aging populations. Florida Hospital and VTT's study will utilize the biomarker assay to harness research on Alzheimer's disease and specifically target which types of precautions to take when approaching early stages of the disease.
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