US EditionRemote Alzheimer's testing: At-home blood tests can accurately detect key biomarkers
The study found finger-prick blood tests detected Alzheimer's biomarkers with 86% accuracy, enabling remote participation and broader research inclusion, say researchers.
- On January 5, 2026, the study published in Nature Medicine showed at-home finger-prick dried blood spots mailed without refrigeration accurately detect Alzheimer's biomarkers.
- Because brain scans and spinal fluid tests are invasive and costly, researchers aimed to enable large-scale remote testing including people with Down syndrome and underserved populations.
- In the trial of 337 people, the DROP-AD project showed p-tau217 matched standard tests with 86% accuracy, while GFAP and NfL also strongly agreed with traditional tests.
- Participants collected samples themselves after instructions, removing logistical constraints and enabling worldwide research participation, remote clinical trials, and inclusion of remote and underrepresented communities by the University of Exeter Medical School.
- Researchers cautioned that the technique is not ready for clinical use and requires more validation, while practical challenges like sample handling and storage remain; the approach also shows promise for NfL in other neurodegenerative diseases.
29 Articles
29 Articles
Remote Alzheimer's testing: At-home blood tests can accurately detect key biomarkers
A new international study has demonstrated that Alzheimer's disease biomarkers can be accurately detected using simple finger-prick blood samples that can be collected at home and mailed to laboratories without refrigeration or prior processing.
A few drops of blood obtained with a finger prick and dried on a card can be used to detect key signs of Alzheimer's disease, according to a study published in the journal 'Nature Medicine'. This method, much simpler and less invasive than current techniques, could facilitate diagnosis and expand access to testing in environments where traditional procedures are difficult to apply.Alzhéimer's diagnosis is usually confirmed by costly and invasive…
Scientists and doctors from Europe and North America have perfected a new analysis that detects Alzheimer’s from a drop of blood extracted with a puncture in a finger. The advance, still preliminary, would facilitate the early detection of this neurodegenerative disease compared to current methods. New methods of blood diagnosis are essential to alert the disease in early stages and to be able to apply the new drugs available, able to modestly d…
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