VANCOUVER — Diagnostic tests are increasingly capable of identifying plaques and tangles present in Alzheimer's disease, yet the disease remains untreatable. Questions remain about how these tests can be used in research studies examining potential interventions to treat and prevent Alzheimer's disease. Experts from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania will today participate in a panel at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference 2012 (AAIC 2012) discussing ways to ethically disclose and provide information about test results to asymptomatic older adults.

In contrast to diseases like cancer — where tumor progression and genetic markers can be measured to determine appropriate preventative steps or targeted treatments — Alzheimer's disease tests has improved diagnosis and assessment of risk, but no treatments or preventative measures are available to alter the disease progression.

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