New blood test from Swedish neuroscientists reveals Alzheimer’s risk 15 years before symptoms manifest in those aged 50 and older, assessing levels of phosphorylated tau, a specific biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease, as published in the journal JAMA Neurology (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Diagnostic Accuracy of a Plasma Phosphorylated Tau 217 Immunoassay for Alzheimer’s Disease Pathology

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Alzheimer’s disease, a brain disorder that affects memory and thinking skills, is the most common type of dementia, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Scan or spinal tap is the current method to identify beta-amyloid and tau buildup in the brains of people with the disease. But these are not only inaccessible often but also expensive.

The study showed that the new simple blood test is 96 percent accurate in identifying elevated levels of beta-amyloid and up to 97 percent accurate in identifying tau.

Novel Blood Test for Early Alzheimer’s Detection

“This study highlights the effectiveness of a commercially available plasma p-tau217 assay in identifying AD pathology. The results emphasize the important role of plasma p-tau217 as an initial screening tool in the management of cognitive impairment by underlining those who may benefit from anti-amyloid immunotherapies,” said the researchers led by Nicholas J. Ashton from the Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

“What was impressive with these results is that the blood test was just as accurate as advanced testing like cerebrospinal fluid tests and brain scans at showing Alzheimer’s disease pathology in the brain,” Ashton was quoted as telling CNN.

The test used in the new study called the ALZpath pTau217 assay, is a commercially available tool developed by the company ALZpath. ALZpath estimates the price of the test could be between $200 and $500.

“A robust and accurate blood-based biomarker would enable a more comprehensive assessment of cognitive impairment in settings where advanced testing is limited,” the researchers wrote in their study.

“Therefore, use of a blood biomarker is intended to enhance an early and precise AD diagnosis, leading to improved patient management and, ultimately, timely access to disease-modifying therapies.”

Reference:

1. Diagnostic Accuracy of a Plasma Phosphorylated Tau 217 Immunoassay for Alzheimer’s Disease Pathology
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