Blood test could revolutionise the way Alzheimer’s is diagnosed
5 early signs of Alzheimer’s you shouldn’t ignore
New research suggests a simple blood test could identify signs of Alzheimer’s disease decades before symptoms manifest.
A study in The Lancet found that high levels of amyloid and p-tau217 biomarkers in midlife were linked to poorer cognitive performance over five years.
These findings indicate that Alzheimer’s neuropathology can be present in midlife, supporting the concept that the disease begins long before clinical symptoms emerge.
A separate study proposed a novel brain scanning technique, MK6240, which proved more effective at detecting tau protein tangles earlier than existing methods.
Experts believe earlier detection through blood tests could revolutionise diagnosis, facilitate participation in clinical trials, and improve access to disease-modifying treatments, with a goal to make them available on the NHS by 2029.
