A blood test can predict Alzheimer’s proteins in the brain
Researchers have reported a breakthrough in the development and testing of a blood test to detect Alzheimer’s pathology in those who show signs of dementia. This method could be less invasive, and therefore less expensive than the current spinal fluid and brain imaging tests. The blood test detects the abnormal accumulation of a form of tau protein known as phosphorylated-tau-181 (ptau181), which is a biomarker that suggests brain changes from Alzheimer’s. The National Institutes of Health funded the study which was published in Nature Medicine on 2 March.
Researchers have been able to better diagnose Alzheimer’s, select participants for research, and assess the response to experimental therapies, thanks to the research advancements in biomarkers such as tau protein. Tau and other biomarkers are detectable with brain PET scans and spinal fluid lab tests. The PET scans are expensive, involve radioactive agents and require spinal taps. These tests can be invasive and time consuming. Biomarker tests that are simpler still need to be developed.
Richard J. Hodes M.D. said that the time and resources needed to screen research participants using spinal taps and PET scans slows down the enrollment pace for Alzheimer’s treatment studies. The National Institute on Aging of NIH funded the majority of the study. The development of a blood-test would allow us to quickly screen a larger and more diverse number of volunteers who want to enroll in research studies.
Source:
https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/blood-test-method-may-predict-alzheimers-protein-deposits-brain
