CBC Maritimes

New criteria proposed for diagnosing Alzheimer's before symptoms emerge could create issues related to insurance and worker's compensation - and stress for both the person diagnosed and potential caregivers

Is Earlier Necessarily Better ? We all know that you can't begin medical treatment until you get a diagnosis. And in many cases, the sooner you get the correct diagnosis, the better your chances of either curing or delaying the progress of the disease.
But will the dynamics that work for the early diagnosis of things like diabetes and certain forms of cancer apply for Alzheimer's Disease ?
Last Tuesday, at an international meeting in Hawaii, a panel convened by two American bodies - the National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer's Association - proposed new guidelines which would include diagnosis of "pre-clinical disease" - that is, using so-called "biomarker" tests like MRIs, brain scans or spinal taps to see if you have signs of Alzheimer's before any of the common symptoms show up.
But if those criteria are adopted, what would that mean for someone in, say, his or her 40s ? What if you got a false positive ? How would it affect your ability to get insurance or qualify for worker's compensation ?
Those are just some of the questions raised by this proposal.
Dr Ken Rockwood has treated more than 3000 persons with various forms of dementia and worked with their care givers and family members. He joined us to discuss the proposed changes and to answer questions about Alzheimer's and other varieties of dementia. He's a Professor of Geriatric Medicine & Neurology at the Dalhousie Medical School, the Kathryn Allen Weldon Professor of Alzheimer Research, and President and Chief Scientific Officer of DementiaGuide Inc.

Maritime Noon is Moncton-bound : From Kenya and Spain to Jamaica and Germany, the best 19-and-under track and field athletes on the planet are in New Brunswick this week. The next time you see many of them, they'll be competing in the 2012 Olympics in London. But now, all that talent - including seven athletes from the Maritimes - is on display at the IAAF World Junior Championships
Throughout the week, CBC Radio will provide coverage of the Games - and that includes Maritime Noon.
This Friday, we'll be downtown, broadcasting live between 12 and 1 from Mexicali Rosa's near the City of Moncton's festival tent. If you're in the area, drop in and say hello, meet some of our Maritime athletes, coaches and volunteers, and groove to the Latin-infused vibe of Eschucha, our house band.
CBC Reporter (and runner) Mihira Lakshman will update us on results from the competition site.
So join us in person at Mexicali Rosa's (at the corner of Main & Botsford) or tune in : this Friday, July 23rd.