SAMPLING SPINAL FLUID FOR A PROTEIN THAT MAKES UP THE PLAQUES THAT CLOG THE BRAINS OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE PATIENTS MAY HELP DIAGNOSE THE MIND-WASTING DISEASE, RESEARCHERS SAID ON MONDAY. AS PLAQUES BUILD UP IN THE BRAIN, LEVELS OF THE PROTEIN -- A BETA 42 -- ARE THOUGHT TO DECLINE ELSEWHERE IN THE BODY, INCLUDING THE SPINAL FLUID, ACCORDING TO THE STUDY APPEARING IN THE ARCHIVES OF NEUROLOGY. OTHER THAN GIVING SUSPECTED ALZHEIMER'S PATIENTS MENTAL TESTS, A DIAGNOSIS CAN ONLY BE CONFIRMED AFTER DEATH FROM THE TELL-TALE PLAQUES FOUND IN THE BRAIN. ONE HUNDRED EIGHT-FOUR ADULTS AVERAGING 50 YEARS OLD AND FREE OF ALZHEIMER'S AT THE START OF THE STUDY HAD THEIR SPINAL FLUID TESTED FOR THE PROTEIN FOUND IN BRAIN PLAQUES. --MORE 11/07/2006 00:12 ت م
