By: Jodie Nicotra | February 14, 2025 | 8 min. read |
Alzheimer’s disease has been called a public health crisis, one that affects nearly 7 million Americans. Without significant medical breakthroughs in prevention and treatment, that number may double by the year 2060.
Part of the work in addressing the Alzheimer’s public health issue lies in fast, accurate diagnosis. Researchers from The Center for Cognitive Neurosciences and Aging (CNSA) at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine have refined a method that will allow primary care physicians to quickly identify and refer patients with greater risk for Alzheimer’s.
Early identification of Alzheimer’s is important because, by the time a patient is exhibiting symptoms of cognitive impairment, it often means that the disease is so far advanced that treatment becomes very difficult.
“We want to look at the cognitive markers for Alzheimer’s disease that are more sensitive than existing neuropsychological measures, which will give us an idea that there’s something going on years before traditional tests that are given in regular centers,” said David Loewenstein, Ph.D., the director of CNSA and a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and neurology at the Miller School.
