In France, only neurologists, geriatricians and psychiatrists are authorized to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease. This neurodegenerative pathology (which affects approximately 900,000 French people, with 225,000 new cases recorded each year) is diagnosed using several examinations: neuropsychological assessment, neurological examinations, medical imaging examinations (MRI, scanner), blood assessment. ..
Good news: to speed up the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh (in the United States) have developed a simple blood test.
Tested with 600 volunteers suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, this blood test seeks to identify a particular protein (called “brain-derived tau protein”), characteristic of the pathology. More precisely, this “simple” blood test makes it possible to determine the degree of brain damage and to distinguish patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease of those with another form of dementia.
“Cheaper, safer and easier to administer” than “classic” tests aimed at diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease, this blood test might help reduce medical wandering for patients. At present, the estimated time between the first consultation for the first symptoms and the diagnosis varies between 3 and 5 years.
This work has been published in the specialized journal Brain.
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