Several research projects next year will focus on detection of Alzheimer’s disease before it shows recognizable behavioral symptoms. 

A team of Colombian scientists, for example, will test treatments on Colombians in their late 30s and early 40s who will develop Alzheimer’s but haven’t yet developed symptoms, according to a report in The New York Times. The idea is to see if the disease can be prevented or delayed.

Another project, the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network, or DIAN, is examining members of families in the United States, Australia and Britain who have mutations that cause dementia at age 46, on average. A third is the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, or ADNI, which involves scientists at 55 sites in the U.S. and Canada. It has uncovered findings about screening for Alzheimer’s proteins with PET scans and spinal fluid tests, the newspaper said.