Research

Confidence: A new study from the National Institutes of Mental Health confirms that protein markers diagnose Alzheimer's disease as accurately as brain scans, cognitive tests and physician evaluation.

But the biomarkers won't be ready for clinical use until long-term studies now under way are complete, said Dr. Trey Sunderland, chief of NIMH's Geriatric Psychiatry Branch.

The study, published in the April 23 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that the proteins beta-amyloid and tau both accurately predict the disease when detected in patients' cerebrospinal fluid.

Beta-amyloid clumps to form brain-damaging plaques. Tau forms tangles of filament that strangle neurons. When a patient has Alzheimer's, beta-amyloid levels are shown to decrease while tau levels are shown to increase.

Sunderland and colleagues sampled spinal fluid from more than 130 Alzheimer's patients and 70 control subjects for the study and reviewed data from 51 similar studies.

But more studies are needed before the biomarkers can be used in a clinical setting. The proteins could one day be used to predict who's at risk for Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia, the study suggests.

Resource

Directory: The Mental Health Association is offering its Support Group Clearinghouse. The directory can be accessed online at www.mentalhealthassn.

org. For a referral or to purchase a copy, call 721-2910, Ext. 12. Cost: $10.

Tips

Splash: Try these tips from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons to keep summer swimming safe:

• Point out depth markings, lights, diving boards, etc., for guests.

• Secure the pool with fencing to keep unwanted visitors out.

• Don't swim if you can't see the bottom at the deepest point.

• Keep rescue equipment on hand. Make sure someone trained in water safety and lifesaving is nearby.

• Don't allow guests to swim alone or use alcohol while swimming.

• No running! Slippery surfaces make it easier to fall.

• Baby sitters should know CPR and rescue techniques if they're watching children who are swimming.

• Don't leave children unsupervised while they're in or near the pool.

• You don't have to wait an hour after eating to swim, but it's wise to let digestion start.

Shelf help

Update: Finding the Right Treatment (Hartley and Marks; $24.95) by Dr. Jacqueline Krohn and Frances Taylor has been updated and revised in this guide to medical and complementary treatment options.

Calendar

Speaker: Homeopath Shirley Reischman will speak at the 7:30 p.m. May 16 meeting of the Near Death Studies Group at the Kemper Road Swedenborgian Church in Montgomery. Free. 851-0557.

Contact Peggy O'Farrell by phone, 768-8510; fax, 768-8330; or e-mail, pofarrell@enquirer.com