Alzheimer’s disease timing could be predicted years in advance with blood test

A simple blood test can predict not only a person’s risk of developing the condition Alzheimer’s diseasebut also the symptoms of the year will begin.

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis set out to determine whether levels of a certain protein in the blood could be used as a “biological clock” to predict when signs of disease will appear.

The specific protein, known as p-tau217, forms “tangles” in the brain that disrupt communication between neurons. In a healthy brain, tau helps stabilize brain structure Neurons.

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In some cases, Brain scan They can be used to detect these tangles when diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease. Preliminary studies have suggested that the same method could be used to determine the timeline for progression.

Since these imaging tests are often complex and expensive, the research team wanted to explore whether a blood test could monitor the same proteins and produce similar results.

By comparing blood samples with participants’ cognitive performance over several years, the team found that p-tau217 levels rise in a “remarkably consistent” pattern long before memory loss begins. (Istock)

The study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, analyzed data from more than 600 people the elderly He is involved in two long-term research projects on Alzheimer’s disease.

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By comparing blood samples with participants’ cognitive performance over several years, the team found that p-tau217 levels rise in a “remarkably consistent” pattern long before memory loss begins, according to a press release.

The team then created a model that uses the patient’s age and protein levels to estimate when symptoms will appear, with a margin of error of three to four years.

The team created a model that uses the patient’s age and protein levels to estimate when symptoms will appear, with a margin of error of three to four years. (Istock)

“We have shown that a single blood test measuring p-tau217 can provide a rough estimate of when an individual is likely to develop symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease,” said lead author Kellen K. Petersen, Ph.D., professor of neuroscience at Washington University in St. Louis, told Fox News Digital.

The researchers found that older people Advanced symptoms He noted that it became much faster after p-tau217 became abnormal.

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“For example, people who first had abnormal levels of p-tau217 at around age 60 did not develop symptoms of Alzheimer’s for about 20 years, while those who first had abnormal levels of p-tau217 around age 80 developed symptoms after only about 10 years,” Petersen said.

The researcher concluded that this suggests that age- and disease-related changes in the brain can influence how quickly Alzheimer’s symptoms appear.

“At this point, we do not recommend that any cognitively healthy individual undergo any testing for biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease.”

“This could change how researchers design clinical trials and, ultimately, how doctors identify people at highest risk.” Cognitive decline “Alzheimer’s disease is associated with years before it begins to decline,” Chicago-based Rebecca M. Edelmeyer, vice president of scientific engagement at the Alzheimer’s Association, told Fox News Digital.

“A blood test is generally much less expensive and easier to administer than a brain scan or spinal fluid test. In the future, it could help doctors and researchers identify people who might benefit from this.” Early treatmentsEdelmayer, who was not involved in the study, added.

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The study has some limitations and caveats.

“We were only able to make predictions for individuals whose p-tau217 levels fell within a certain range, although it was a fairly broad range,” Petersen said. “The models were developed in Relatively healthy “And the research groups were well-educated and were not diverse, so the results may not apply well to the broader population.”

The research suggests that age- and disease-related changes in the brain can affect how quickly Alzheimer’s symptoms appear. (Istock)

While the researchers pointed to home blood tests In this studyThey warn against people seeking out these tests and conducting them themselves.

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“At this point, we would not recommend that any cognitively healthy individual have any of these Alzheimer’s disease “Biomarker testing,” Dr. Susan Schindler, a University of Washington neurologist who co-authored the study, said in the press release.

Peterson acknowledged that these results are still experimental and ripe for improvement.

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“The current estimate is not yet accurate enough Clinical use Or make personal medical decisions, but we expect that it will be possible to create more accurate models,” he told Fox News Digital.

Looking to the future, Schindler said, the team hopes to improve the test by looking for other proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease to narrow the margin of error. More diverse participants are also needed to confirm the findings.

There are two large clinical trials in progress to determine whether people with high levels of the protein can benefit from the treatment. (Istock)

Two large clinical trials are now underway, aiming to determine whether people with high levels of this protein can benefit from treatment with one of the two. Alzheimer’s medications Before symptoms appear.

Lecanemab and donanemab are the only two approved medications designed to reduce levels of plaques in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers hope that treating people early may enhance the effectiveness of the drugs.

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“There are many other blood and imaging biomarkers, as well as cognitive tests, that we can combine with plasma p-tau217 to improve the accuracy of predicting the onset of symptoms,” Petersen said. “We hope this work will lead to better models that are useful to individuals.”