Get a baseline brain scan
Neuroimaging, using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT), is one of the most promising areas of research for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
“The idea is to start prevention early,” says Gayatri Devi, MD, neurologist, clinical professor of neurology, Downstate Medical Center.
“We get routine colonoscopies in our fifties, but the risk for colon cancer is less than the risk for dementia.” Structural imaging can reveal tumors, evidence of strokes, damage from severe head trauma, or a buildup of fluid in the brain.
“A baseline brain MRI can reveal the evidence of mini-strokes that you may have had without knowing,” says Dr. Devi.
