"The latest advances in Alzheimers disease involve people who dont appear to show any signs of cognitive decline yet. Experts now believe that the biological processes behind the neurodegenerative condition begin years if not decades before memory problems and confusion become noticeable. At the annual Alzheimers Association International Conference https researchers say they have found a series of substances in saliva that can distinguish between people who experience normal aging those with mild cognitive dementia MCI which in some cases can lead to Alzheimers and in other cases not and Alzheimers disease. Presenting at the meeting Shraddha Sapkota a graduate student in neuroscience at University of Alberta and her colleagues described how they carefully analyzed the saliva of a group of volunteers participating in an aging study. Some had been diagnosed with Alzheimers and some with MCI while others did not have any neurological conditions. By comparing their saliva components the scientists found that each of the three groups showed slightly different patterns of compounds which could form the basis of a relatively easy and noninvasive way to determine which people are at higher risk of developing more serious degenerative brain conditions. The results arent conclusive enough yet for doctors to start using them to distinguish people who are more likely to develop Alzheimers but thats the goal says Sapkota. Ideally for example isolating those with MCI might help doctors to focus in on a group of patients who might be at higher risk of developing Alzheimers and therefore might need more intensive and regular testing."