A Simple Blood Test Could Detect Alzheimer’s Risk Up to 15 Years Before Symptoms
It could be a turning point against the most widespread and harmful form of dementia: a simple blood test could detect the risk of developing Alzheimer’s up to 15 years before the symptoms of the disease appear.
The analysis
The British newspaper Independent reports that this test, developed by the company AZLpath, is already commercially available. The test would be able to measure the levels of p-tau 217 protein, an indicator of the changes that occur in the brain during Alzheimer’s. According to what emerges from a study conducted on 786 people by the University of Gothenburg, the higher the level of this protein in the blood, the more likely or advanced the disease.
Thanks to this analysis, it would be possible to estimate the probability with which a given individual can develop the disease.
The prospects
The discovery would open up the prospect of a national screening to which the entire population over 50 could be subjected. This type of research could potentially exclude the need for further, more invasive investigations, such as a lumbar puncture.
Anticipating the onset of symptoms by 15 years could prove decisive in the fight against Alzheimer’s, since currently available treatments work better in patients diagnosed early.
This development is expected to have a substantial impact on the field of Alzheimer’s research and could potentially lead to better treatment outcomes and the possibility of early intervention.
Overall, the potential of a simple blood test to detect Alzheimer’s risk up to 15 years before symptoms appear is a significant breakthrough in the fight against this devastating disease.
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