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09 July 2014 09:46
Alzheimer's: need not be a barrier to enjoying a good family holiday
Knowing whether you have Alzheimer's disease could be just one simple blood test away as early as 2016, scientists claim.
The test predicts with nearly 90% accuracy whether people with slight memory loss will eventually be diagnosed with the disease up to a year before symptoms appear.
It is hoped the test could assist families in planning for their loved ones suffering the illness. The procedure is likely to cost between £100 and £300.
Experts predict the test will revolutionise the hunt for new treatment for this brain illness, which affects about 600,000 UK residents every year.
Every drug trial aimed at halting or reversing Alzheimer's has been unsuccessful.
A leading reason behind this failure is that test patients are enlisted when their Alzheimer's has already taken too great a grip, according to researchers.
The latest test relies on 10 telltale "biomarker" proteins. Scientists analysed 26 proteins which had earlier been linked to the illness.
They then studied blood samples across 1,146 people - 476 of these were Alzheimer's sufferers, 220 suffered with intermittent memory lapses, and 450 older people enjoyed good health.
Scientists stress that most memory failures do not result in Alzheimer's.
But they found blood proteins - as many as 10 - that were common in nearly nine-tenths (87%) of occasional memory loss sufferers who were diagnosed with Alzheimer's within the next 12 months.
Co-test pioneer, King's College London's Simon Lovestone, says it could help the medical profession much earlier.
Professor Lovestone now wants to create a trustworthy test that can be used by GPs.
Alzheimer's Research UK is cautioning that such a test can only be expected to be used as a preliminary diagnostics measure in tandem with later brain scans plus spinal fluid sample collections.
The study is published in the Alzheimer's & Dementia journal.
Specialist travel insurance can be arranged for people with Alzheimer's .
23 June 2017
The fall in the value of the pound could pose a shock to British holidaymakers this summer, a currency expert has warned.
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22 June 2017
Britons have been warned that they could be banned from all-inclusive holidays unless they stop making bogus food poisoning claims.
21 June 2017
Holidaymakers could save themselves money by opting for self-catering breaks this summer, a report has shown.
20 June 2017
From trips abroad to days out closer to home, the school holidays can be a costly time for families.
17 June 2017
Debit and credit card charges are causing holidaymakers to "waste" more than £100 million each year, a new report has warned.
16 June 2017
Aggressive and potentially lethal prostate cancer could be detected more quickly thanks to a simple blood test, scientists have revealed.
15 June 2017
Many holidaymakers are over-estimating the benefits offered by European Health Insurance Cards (EHICs), a new study warns.
14 June 2017
British holidaymakers will benefit from the end of mobile roaming charges this week.
13 June 2017
UK holidaymakers could face higher costs in the months ahead following the collapse in the pound, the owner of a major travel firm has warned.
10 June 2017
Holidaymakers planning trips abroad in the coming days will be monitoring the progress of the pound closely following the surprise general election result.
09 June 2017
Family holidays to traditional hotspots like Menorca and Ibiza could end up costing more than far-flung destinations such as Orlando, Thailand and Bali, surprising new research suggests.
08 June 2017
Two of Europe's major budget airlines enjoyed strong passenger growth last month, as the summer holiday season got under way.