Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., M.S.

A recent study published in the journal Angewandte Chemie, scientists from MIT have discovered a chemical that binds to areas in the brain damaged by Alzheimer's disease and gives off a fluorescent glow that could be picked up with a brain scan.

The leading scientist, Swager, says the discovery could aid in monitoring the progression of the disease and in studying the efficacy of new treatments to stop it.

Brain damaged by Alzheimer's disease gives off a fluorescent glow that could be picked up with a brain scan.

How the Test Was Conducted

Swager and his colleagues tested the new dye, called NIAD-4, on living mice and found it was able to bind to brain plaques, absorb and fluoresce radiation in the right spectral range, and provide sharp contrast between the plaques and the surrounding tissue.

According to Harriet Millward, deputy chief executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust "this new research from some of the leading scientists in the field is very promising.

With no simple accurate method of diagnosing Alzheimer's early, this is a crucial area of research for today's scientists.

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