Mayo Clinic scientists have developed a new method to predict Alzheimer’s risk decades before symptoms appear, using brain scans and genetics to estimate a 10-year likelihood. The research, published in The Lancet Neurology, draws on decades of data from the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging, a long-running effort that tracks thousands of residents over time. Led by Dr. Clifford Jack Jr., a radiologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, the team analyzed brain scans, genetics and medical records from more than 5,800 adults to build a model that predicts both a person’s 10-year and lifetime risk of developing cognitive decline.
Long before forgetfulness or confusion appear, two key proteins called amyloid and tau start building up in the brain. Amyloid forms sticky plaques, while tau forms tangles inside brain cells. Together, they disrupt communication between neurons and eventually cause the memory loss and cognitive problems that are the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s, according to multiple sources.
Using specialized brain imaging that measures amyloid buildup, the researchers were able to gauge the