The other day we were talking about dementia. And I had mentioned that it can take 8 to 20 years before it's actually diagnosed. I have written about watching out for the early signs you should go ahead and have your loved one get a full workup.
Well, then the latest news comes out…BIG NEW BIOMARKER PROVES DEMENTIA!
What's a Biomarker?
Wait! What??!! There are things out there called biomarkers. They are basically signs in your tissue, fluids, or saliva that can tell the lab if you have a high indication for a disease.
We use them in medicine all the time. We just never really talk about biomarkers but let me give you an example.
If you came into the office with high blood pressure, I would have to ask myself if you have heart disease. High blood pressure is a biomarker for heart disease. So, the question is, do you have heart disease now or are you on the road to getting it in the future? And then the next question is, “How can I help you avoid heart disease if you don't already have it?”.
So, when you are having yourself or your loved one evaluated for dementia, the neurologist will order the blood tests and probably look for the most common biomarkers. They are the beta-amyloid and tau protein fragments. They are assessed by using imaging technology or through cerebral spinal fluid tests. Seeing an accumulation of these protein fragments means you might be headed toward dementia in the future. These have been thoroughly researched and found to be evidence-based for doctors to make such decisions.
New Biomarker needs more study
Well, the new kid on the block is miR-519a-3p, a new biomarker. It is found in the asymptomatic stages of dementia which means it is found when no symptoms are even showing. It's so new that there has to be more research that will confirm or deny the appropriateness of using such a test.
Unless these biomarkers have stood the test of time like blood pressure has, one has to be careful not to jump the gun and assume you're destined for a disease.
How do Placebos Work?
The reason I say this is because there is something called the placebo effect. It basically works the same way as telling something to someone and having them believe it even though it is not true. And ultimately watching as it manifests itself into reality.
A perfect example of this is the teacher who is told at the beginning of the year that she has the brightest students in the grade. With enthusiasm and excitement, she teaches them all year believing that they are the sharpest students of all. They excel and achieve incredible reading, writing, and arithmetic scores. At the end of the year, she is told that they were actually the least likely students to succeed in any 4th-grade class.
Woody Allen, the great comedian once said, “I don’t get angry. I grow a tumor instead.” Hmmm. Not a wise choice of words.
So, if we are going to worry about things we shouldn’t know about are we doing ourselves any favors? Perhaps we should avoid the news, let the researchers do the legwork, and stick with our trusted doctors. 🙂
