Elderly people in a center in the Netherlands, June 3, 2022 ©BelgaImage
An international group of scientists has developed a new blood test capable of detecting the disease ofAlzheimer, reports The Guardian on Wednesday. “A nice step forward“, enthused Bart De Strooper, researcher on the disease ofAlzheimer at the Flemish Institute for Biotechnology (VIB) and KU Leuven.
Tests coming soon
About twenty years ago, the disease ofAlzheimer could only be diagnosed by post-mortem examination of the patient’s brain. Ten years ago, the proteins accumulated in the brain, symptomatic of the disease, could be observed for the first time thanks to scans. The disease ofAlzheimer can also be detected by performing a lumbar puncture. These two methods are, however, heavy and costly interventions.
Last year, scientists managed for the first time to develop a blood test capable of detecting the presence of two proteins, tau and amyloid, which, when they accumulate, deteriorate certain brain functions, including memory. This new test makes it possible to measure the quantity and form of tau proteins, to determine the degree of brain damage and to distinguish patients suffering from the disease fromAlzheimer of those with another form of dementia.
To read: How dementia became the leading cause of death in Belgium
“The puzzle begins to complete, the search accelerates“, rejoiced Mr. De Strooper. “A few months ago, it also became known about the drug lecanemab, which inhibits the disease. The arrival of these blood tests could make it possible to make a diagnosis more quickly and therefore to start treatment earlier“. The new tests could be used effectively within one or two years, also estimated Mr. De Strooper.