Study Shows a Blood Test Can Help Identify Healthy People at High Risk for Alzheimer's Disease
Researchers found very high p-tau217 levels were linked to a 38% five-year risk of cognitive impairment and higher risk over 10 years.
- On Wednesday, Harvard Medical School associate professor Rachel Buckley reported that a p-tau217 blood test can predict Alzheimer's symptoms in healthy adults, with high levels linked to a 38% risk of cognitive impairment within five years.
- Researchers analyzed data from 2,684 participants tracked for up to 21 years, assessing how p-tau217 levels correlate with plaque buildup as a "gradual process" of amyloid and tau accumulation in the brain.
- A separate study presented Tuesday at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference found dementia experts changed diagnoses for about 20% of patients using the test, though Dr. Richard Isaacson of the Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases warns against isolated use.
- Buckley cautioned that the blood tests are not yet precise enough for individualized prognosis, stating experts should combine them with cognitive testing rather than rely on results alone.
- Up to 45% of dementia cases may be preventable through lifestyle interventions, according to Laura Nisenbaum of the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation, with researchers hopeful these tests will eventually support early identification for future preventative treatments.
73 Articles
73 Articles
Blood Test Could Diagnose Alzheimer’s and Predict Symptoms 5 to 10 Years Before They Begin
The p-tau217 blood test has improved the diagnostic accuracy of Alzheimer’s to 88% when combined with PET scans, lumbar punctures, and neurologists’ evaluations, new research indicates.
Blood Test Foresees Decline into Alzheimer’s Disease
A blood-based biomarker could predict a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease years before any symptoms arise, research suggests. Plasma levels of phosphorylated tau 217 (p‑tau217) may one day help identify at-risk individuals before overt signs of dementia, enabling the pre-emptive use of disease-modifying therapies. Higher plasma p‑tau217 levels were associated with a greater risk of progressing to cognitive impairment in previously …
High Alzheimer’s risk in healthy adults may be identified with this blood test
A blood test may predict if apparently healthy older adults are likely to develop Alzheimer’s symptoms in the next five or 10 years, researchers reported Wednesday.That information could be reassuring or terrifying, but for now it’s a potential tool to speed drug development by helping to identify and enroll high-risk people into studies of possible Alzheimer’s treatments or preventive strategies.Already large clinical trials are testing if cert…
Study shows blood test can help identify people at high risk for Alzheimer's disease
That information could be reassuring or terrifying, but for now it's a potential tool to speed drug development by helping to identify and enroll high-risk people into studies of possible Alzheimer's treatments or preventive strategies.
How a blood test could someday predict your risk for Alzheimer's disease
In a new study, Mass General Brigham researchers found that a specific biomarker, called p-tau217, shows promise for predicting Alzheimer's. But they caution that right now, this test is not recommended for people without any symptoms.
Study sheds light on the prognostic value of blood test for predicting cognitive impairment risk
A blood test for the biomarker phosphorylated tau 217 (p-tau217) recently received federal clearance, but questions have emerged around the extent to which such tests can accurately predict whether a cognitively healthy individual will go on to develop cognitive impairment-a key symptom of Alzheimer's disease.
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