Amino acid disorders screening, Amenorrhea, Amblyopia, Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease: 

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most com¬mon form of dementia, a neurologic disease characterized by loss of mental ability severe enough to interfere with normal activities of daily living, lasting at least six months, and not present from birth. AD usually occurs in old age, and is marked by a decline in cognitive functions such as remembering, reasoning, and planning.

Amblyopia: 

Amblyopia is an uncorrectable decrease in vision in one or both eyes with no apparent structural abnormality seen to explain it. It is a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning that when a decrease in vision is detected, other causes must be ruled out. Once no other cause is found, amblyopia is the diagnosis. Generally, a difference of two lines or more (on an eye-chart test of visual acuity) between the two eyes ora best corrected vision of 20/30 or worse would be defined as amblyopia. For example, if someone has 20/20 vision with the right eye and only 20/40 with the left, and the left eye cannot achieve better vision with corrective lenses, the left eye is said to be amblyopic. Amebiasis: Amebiasis is an infectious disease caused by a para¬sitic one-celled microorganism (protozoan) called Entamoeba histolytica. Persons with amebiasis may experience a wide range of symptoms, including diarrhea, fever, and cramps. The disease may also affect the intestines, liver, or other parts of the body.

Amenorrhea: 

The absence of menstrual periods is called amen¬orrhea. Primary amenorrhea is the failure to start having a period by the age of 16. Secondary amenorrhea is more com¬mon and refers to either the temporary or permanent ending of periods in a woman who has menstruated normally in the past. Many women miss a period occasionally. Amenorrhea occurs if a woman misses three or more periods in a row. The absence of menstrual periods is a symptom, not a disease. While the average age that menstruation begins is 12, the range varies. The incidence of primary amenorrhea in the United States is just 2.5%. Some female athletes who participate in rowing, long distance running, and cycling, may notice a few' missed periods. Women athletes at a particular risk for developing amenorrhea include ballerinas and gymnasts, who typically exercise strenuously and eat poorly.

Amino acid disorders screening: 

Amino acid disorder screening checks for inherited disorders in amino acid metabolism. Tests are most commonly done on newborns. Two tests are available, one using a blood sample and the other a urine sample.