Biomarkers helpful in classifying Alzheimer’s disease
http://www.imt.ie/clinical/2010/10/biomarkers-helpful-in-classifying-alzheimers-disease.html

This study claims that cerebrospinal fluid proteins (beta-amyloid and tau) were 100% predictive of which Mild Cognitive Impairment patients went on to develop Alzheimer’s Disease. That’s pretty darned impressive.

“Results were validated on two other data sets,” the authors wrote. “In one study consisting of 68 autopsy-confirmed Alzheimer’s disease cases, 94 per cent were correctly classified with the Alzheimer’s disease feature. In another data set with 57 patients with mild cognitive impairment followed up for five years, the model showed a sensitivity of 100 per cent in patients progressing to Alzheimer’s disease.”

I know this excites researchers because they are anxious to test drugs on MCI patients, before too much damage has been done in the brain.

More importantly, from a patient’s perspective, this test would help families come to terms with the diagnosis, deal practically with everyday issues which are affected, plan for their future, etc. Likewise if someone were to test negative for likely conversion to Alzheimer’s, it would remove an incredible amount of stress.

My husband is incredibly depressed after his MCI diagnosis – says that the first thing he thinks about every day when he wakes up is if he will get Alzheimer’, when he’ll get it, etc. I know it sounds contradictory, but at the same time he is in serious denial, often stating that he is going to go back in a year and retake “those tests” and get “this thing” off his record. This makes it very frustrating for me. His judgment is poor including with investment decisions, and so far I have been able to keep him from doing anything catastrophic, but it is a worry that is always there. His reasoning button is broken, and it sometimes takes weeks to convince him to do (or not do) something.

The problem is, if you still have your job (which he does), you will not be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. If you are still working - it is MCI. The MCI diagnosis is a limbo for us. I know he is more severe than that diagnosis would indicate, but I can’t press on issues such as finances, driving, etc.

If this spinal fluid analysis was done for MCI diagnosis, it would help people like my husband move more quickly to an acceptance stage, and allow families to adjust and plan. I’m not sure these are things the researchers are concerned about, but I sure am.

Mary, I would first send the results to your husband's neurologist. If they will not consider it then I would look for another neurologist or a teaching hospital, even if it is a few hours drive. Find out if they have read the research and results and if they would consider doing the spinal tap. I know in some of the drug trials they do spinal taps too. it will be up to you to do the research, look for the answers - not your hb. And just because he is working doesn't not guarantee only a MCI diagnosis. My hb started that way but soon, within months, was changed to AD - he was not working at the time. We changed neurologist who looked at previous neuro psych testing, family history and what was going on - that produced the change. Others here can well tell you how their spouse continued to work, some a long time, cause they were able to fake their way thru and depend on others doing their work.