With researchers constantly looking for ways to understand, detect and prevent Alzheimer’s disease, new developments are emerging with some regularity. This time, a new blood test detected Alzheimer’s disease with 93% accuracy.
This percentage remains high, regardless of the laboratory in which the test is performed and the protocols followed.
Alzheimer’s disease is a debilitating disease that takes its toll on many levels during the dementia phase. Therefore, researchers do not abandon the study of the disease and are constantly looking for ways to solve it.
According to a press release from the Washington University School of Medicine, a new blood test may be able to identify the risk of developing the disease earlier, allowing them to seek the help they need.
Our study shows that blood tests provide a robust measure to detect amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease, even in patients who have not yet experienced cognitive decline.
Says lead author Randall J. Bateman, Charles F. and Joanne Knight, professor of neurology.
A blood test for Alzheimer’s disease gives a huge boost to research and diagnosis of the disease, dramatically reducing the time and cost of identifying patients for clinical trials and spurring the development of new treatment options .
As new drugs become available, a blood test might determine who might benefit from treatment, including those in the very early stages of the disease.
Bateman added.
Study lead author Randall J. Bateman
The study involved nearly 500 patients from the United States of America, Australia and Sweden and was found to be 93% accurate. This percentage means that the test might revolutionize the way of analyzing the presence and progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
Unlike the alternatives that currently exist, which are too expensive, this new blood test would cost only $500 and might be performed in less than six months. In addition, the study notes that regardless of the laboratory and the protocols, the test remains very accurate.
These results suggest that the test may be useful in identifying non-disabled patients who may be at risk for future dementia, offering them the opportunity to enroll in clinical trials where early intervention has potential.
Bateman concludes.
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