Scientists have developed a way to detect signs of Alzheimer’s disease using a simple, inexpensive blood test.
The new blood-based test, developed by a group of scientists from the UK, the US, Sweden and Italy, paves the way for a cheap and simple diagnosis that could help millions of Americans receive treatment for the disease at a very early stage. stage. start.
To diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, scientists look for three different markers of the disease: an abnormal accumulation of plaques in the brain and neurodegeneration, the gradual process in which nerve cells lose function and die.
Researchers wanted to develop a blood test that could detect nerve cell damage specifically to the brain to measure neurodegeneration, a reliable marker of disease. While initial results were promising, the researchers did not say when patients can expect access to the new test.
Early detection of signs of disease is key to slowing cognitive erosion, and the scientific community is rushing to develop more diagnostic tools, such as building in the brain.
Blood tests to detect Alzheimer’s disease have historically failed to measure neurodegeneration, but scientists have found a new way to do so by identifying a protein called tau from the brain.
Dr. Thomas Karikari, senior author and professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh, said: “The diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease currently requires neuroimaging.
“These tests are expensive and require a long planning time, and many patients, even in the US, do not have access to MRI and PET scanners. Accessibility is a big issue.”
The study was published this week in the journal Brain.
Alzheimer’s disease is usually diagnosed by imaging and analyzing cerebrospinal fluid collected during a lumbar puncture, also called an epidural puncture.
But brain scans are expensive and can take a long time to schedule, while epidurals are invasive and sometimes painful.
In general, the best indicator of nerve cell death that scientists can extract from blood plasma is by measuring the amount of a protein called neurofilament light chain, or NfL.
But the NfL is not the ideal benchmark. NfL “cannot distinguish between Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias because of the increase in a variety of neurodegenerative diseases,” the researchers said.
“As a result, dementia research currently lacks a blood biomarker that is specifically altered by Alzheimer-type neurodegenerative changes.”
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The newly developed blood test targets a protein called brain-derived tau (BD-tau), which is not only detectable in blood tests, but also strongly correlates with Alzheimer’s-related neurodegeneration in the cerebrospinal fluid.
The BD-tau levels in the blood of Alzheimer patients matched those in the CSF sample and could reliably distinguish Alzheimer’s disease from other neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and other dementias.
“The biggest benefit of blood biomarkers is to improve people’s lives and improve clinical confidence and risk prediction in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease,” said Dr. caricature
The increased levels of BD-Tau in the blood also correlated with the severity of amyloid plaques and tau tangles in the brain, proving that the proteins can be a reliable indicator of neurological disorders.
Dr Karikari added: “A blood test is cheaper, safer and easier to perform and can increase clinical confidence in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and the selection of participants for clinical trials and disease surveillance.”
Alzheimer’s disease, a chronic neurodegenerative disorder that affects more than six million Americans, is characterized by a loss of communication between neurons in the brain, leading to loss of function and cell death.
In a brain suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, abnormal levels of certain naturally occurring proteins clump together to form plaques that accumulate between neurons and disrupt cell function.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
