Scientists develop blood test for Alzheimer’s disease
GuardianDec 23, 2022
Study: Blood-Based Test Could Detect Alzheimer's Disease Early
Image copyright: Shutterstock/AimPix [via Daily Mail]
The Facts
New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King's College London — published in the journal Brain — has established a blood-based test that can potentially predict the risk of Alzheimer's disease years before clinical diagnosis.
The study found that changes in neurogenesis occurred 3.5 years before a clinical diagnosis, the first evidence in humans that the circulatory system can influence the brain's ability to form new cells, according to the study's authors.
The Spin
Narrative A
It's thrilling that we are able to witness this revolution in Alzheimer's disease diagnosis, as some one-quarter of clinical diagnoses are wrong, but blood-based biomarkers are not ready for widespread use yet. For them to be used as stand-alone tests in primary care, additional research is needed.
Narrative B
Though still costly and limited, blood tests for Alzheimer's disease are already a reality that can help to diagnose this devastating illness. Equally important, the development of these tests — which go hand-in-hand with finding a treatment — advance research and bring awareness. More data and research is always needed, but the future is bright, and hopefully, tests will soon be widely adopted.