There is currently no test that can say definitively that someone will develop Alzheimer’s disease.
There are lots of unknowns. We don’t even know the cause. But we do know that if you have a first-degree relative with it, your risk increases.
A story on cnn.com, however, says doctors are gathering as much information as they can about patients and are using it to give them an early intervention plan to prevent the disease, even if it is not known whether the person will get the disease.
One New York doctor cited in the story spends hours with patients, assessing cognitive function, performing lab work and doing a physical assessment.
Patients leave with recommendations on stress reduction, sleep management, exercise, medications, vitamins and education. Most are children of parents who had Alzheimer’s.
Several different programs are outlined in the story. One program at the University of Alabama gives patients risk assessments.
The story also includes a list of 10 things that are good for your brain as outlined by the American Alzheimer’s Association.
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