Harvard Health Content API

A new test shows when people have a protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease in their brains, researchers say. The protein is called beta-amyloid. The current test is to look for it in a brain autopsy after death. The new test uses a chemical called florbetapir. It binds to beta-amyloid in the brain. This allows the protein to show up on a PET scan. Researchers gave the test to 29 elderly people thought to be near the end of their lives. After they died, autopsies were done. The new test found that 15 of the 29 had Alzheimer’s. The test and autopsy results agreed for 28 out of 29 people. Researchers also gave the test to 74 younger adults. As expected, it showed no beta-amyloid in their brains. Avid Radiopharmaceuticals is seeking approval to market the test. A group of experts was scheduled to evaluate the test January 20. They will advise U.S.

A doctors’ group says that a plasma treatment can help some cases of multiple sclerosis (MS). The treatment is known as plasma exchange. It’s also called plasmapheresis. It involves removing plasma from the blood and replacing it with plasma from a donor. Plasma exchange requires a hospital stay. Problems can occur, such as infections. Old guidelines from the American Academy of Neurology said it was “promising” as a treatment for MS. The new guidelines say it is “probably effective” if MS symptoms flare up and steroid drugs don’t help. Most people with MS start out having flare-ups. At other times, they have no symptoms. This is called relapsing-remitting MS. Most people end up having progressive MS. This form just gets worse. People have symptoms most or all of the time. Plasma exchange does not help progressive MS, the guidelines say.

As Congress debates changes to the health care reform bill this week, Americans remain divided on the bill, a poll finds. The Associated Press-GfK poll was done January 5 through 10. It found that support for the bill increased from 38% after the November election to 40% now. Opposition has dropped from 47% to 41%. Still, fewer than 20% want the law to stay the same. About 43% want it to do more to change the health care system. About 25% want to repeal it. About 60% oppose the requirement for people to buy health insurance. The Associated Press wrote about the poll January 17. A New York Times article on January 15 outlined the debate about effects of the law on jobs. Experts interviewed by the Times disagreed. Some said the new requirement for larger employers to provide health insurance will lead to less job growth. Others said the effect will be small.

Mothers may start solid foods earlier with “fussy” babies, a new study suggests. The study included more than 200 mothers. All were low-income black women having their first baby. Children’s doctors recommend giving babies only breast milk for the first 4 to 6 months of life. But in the study, only 25% got any breast milk by age 3 months. About 70% were also getting solid foods or juice. Babies that mothers described as “fussy” were twice as likely to get solid foods early as other babies. So were the children of obese mothers. Depressed women were more likely to give their babies juice. The journal Pediatrics published the study online. Fox News reported on the research January 10.