Sign Up For More InfoOn February 24, NYAM will host an event dealing with what has been termed the "dread disease" of the twenty first century. Professor Mony de Leon, Professor of Psychiatry at the New York University (NYU) School of Medicine and Director of the Center for Brain Health, NYU will speak on "MRI and PET Imaging and CSF Biomarkers in the Presymptomatic Diagnosis of Alzheimer Disease," new predictors in recognizing early symptoms of the disease through brain imaging.
Throughout his long career Professor de Leon has worked on developing imaging tools and biomarkers to diagnose the debilitating disease before symptoms develop. In studies that can last 20 years, he often has to watch once-healthy individuals develop diseased brains. Using data from his studies, Professor de Leon says he can predict with 90% accuracy which individuals with mild cognitive impairment, a precursor to Alzheimer disease, will go on to develop the disease (Neurobiol. Aging 27, 394–401; 2006). He hopes to collect enough information to be able to set standards for disease markers even in healthy, young people.
"Everyone who is at risk needs to realize that if there's really going to be a breakthrough, it's going to come through teamwork, including their own participation. There is no amount of money that's going to replace the participation of healthy and at risk individuals who can teach us how to recognize disease. There's no shortage of sick people who will come in for help, but that does not replace the need for healthy people to volunteer for these trials," said Professor de Leon.
For over 25 years Professor de Leon has continued to develop imaging and biomarker approaches for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Among his qualifications, he has published over 200 papers in AD research and founded both the NYU Neuroimaging laboratory and the NYU School of Medicine, Center for Brain Health (CBH). The CBH is an interdisciplinary clinical research center, funded by the NIH, with a team of 25 clinicians and scientists. Professor de Leon is a reviewer and/or editorial board member for 22 journals and has served on both national and international NIH advisory panels in the area of the early diagnosis of AD. In 2006, he was voted "Worlds pioneer in the brain imaging of Alzheimer’s disease" at the Alzheimer centennial in Tubingen, Germany
NYAM has been advancing the health of people in cities since 1847. An independent organization, NYAM addresses the health challenges facing the world’s urban populations through interdisciplinary approaches to innovative research, education, community engagement and policy leadership. Drawing on the expertise of diverse partners worldwide and more than 2,000 elected Fellows from across the professions, our current priorities are to create environments in cities that support healthy aging; to strengthen systems that prevent disease and promote the public’s health; and to implement interventions that eliminate health disparities.
Posted on 02/12/2009
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