Brain Scans Spot, Track Alzheimer's

TUESDAY, April 2, 2019 -- Brain scans can improve diagnosis and management of Alzheimer's disease, a new study claims.

Researchers assessed the use of PET scans to identify Alzheimer's-related amyloid plaques in the brain. The study included more than 11,000 Medicare beneficiaries with mild thinking impairment or dementia of uncertain cause.

Even Distant Relatives' History Could Up Your Alzheimer's Risk

WEDNESDAY, March 13, 2019 -- A grandparent's mental decline or a great uncle's waning memory may indicate you, too, have greater risk for Alzheimer's disease -- especially if closer relatives have the condition, a new study says.

Alzheimer's in both a first-degree relative (parents, siblings) and a second-degree relative (grandparent, aunt, uncle, nieces or nephews) doubles your risk of the brain-destroying disorder, researchers found. But if you have one first-degree relative and two second-degree relatives with the disease, your risk increases by 21 times.