Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., DACBN, MS, CFMP Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia. Its symptoms vary but may start with mild memory loss or difficulty remembering words or names. As it progresses, Alzheimer's causes worsening confusion and memory loss, changes in personality, the inability to perform everyday tasks and more. Alzheimer's is caused by a slow build-up of protein plaques and tangles in the brain that eventually cause brain cells to stop working properly. This build-up usually starts years before a person experiences symptoms. Alzheimer's-related memory loss is caused by brain cells working improperly and dying-a process known as neurodegeneration. Alzheimer's is estimated to account for about 60% of dementia cases. Diagnosing Alzheimer's Until recently, it has been difficult to identify the biological changes that indicate Alzheimer's. The typical evaluation, which includes physical exam, blood and urine tests and cognitive testing may provide ambiguous or conflicting answers, which can result in delayed referrals until symptoms become clearer. That has changed with new technology and testing. Labcorp has developed a new test called the Amyloid-Tau-Neurodegeneration (ATN) Profile ( ATN Profile) to help doctors detect evidence of biological changes consistent with Alzheimer's. These tests are the first objective tools that doctors have to help evaluate Alzheimer's, meaning that with a simple blood test , doctors and other health professionals allowed to order labs can get a clearer answers on Alzheimer's and its progression and get patients on a care plan earlier. This will in fact give physicians a simple, objective test for Alzheimer's disease pathology that can help shorten the time to diagnosis. Labcorp is the first company to make a fully blood-based ATN Profile commercially available. What is ATN? The ATN framework establishes a means for classifying biomarkers based on the biological evidence of Alzheimer's disease that each marker provides These markers are divided into three categories to reflect the three primary biological changes associated with Alzheimer's: A for amyloid plaques: Accumulations of beta-amyloid 42 proteins begin to form plaques in the brain years before initial symptom onset T for tau tangles: The beta-amyloid 42 accumulation causes misfolding of tau proteins, which tangle into knots and disrupt normal brain cell function N for neurodegeneratio : Brain cell functional impairment causes the cells to die, which exacerbates the characteristic cognitive impairment symptoms observed in Alzheimer's patients