From the NC Alzheimer’s Association:
As highly accurate blood tests for Alzheimer’s disease are moving closer to use in physician’s offices, new research suggests that they may revolutionize the accuracy of diagnosis and provide a cleaner, quicker path to research participation and treatment, according to data reported today at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® (AAIC®) 2024, in Philadelphia and online.
Dementia is often underdiagnosed—and if it is diagnosed by a clinician, many people nonetheless are unaware or uninformed of their diagnosis, according to the 2024 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report. Blood tests for Alzheimer’s are demonstrating in research that they could significantly improve a clinician’s accuracy and confidence, provide greater accessibility and a platform for enhanced communication.
Blood tests that show the most promise for identifying Alzheimer’s-related changes in the brain assess phosphorylated tau (p-tau) protein, an Alzheimer’s biomarker that can build up before patients show signs of cognitive impairment. Increases in the specific marker p-tau217 over time correlate with worsening cognition and brain atrophy. The p-tau217 test also predicts the likelihood of amyloid plaques in the brain, which are another biomarker for Alzheimer’s and the target for recently approved treatments.
“Blood tests, once they (a) are confirmed in large populations to be more than 90% accurate and (b) become more widely available, show promise for improving, and possibly redefining, the clinical trial recruitment process and the diagnostic work-up for Alzheimer’s,” said Maria C. Carrillo, Ph.D., Alzheimer’s Association chief science officer and medical affairs lead. “While at this time doctors in primary and secondary care should use a combination of cognitive and blood or other biomarker testing to diagnose Alzheimer’s, blood tests have the potential to increase the accuracy of early diagnoses and maximize the opportunity to access Alzheimer’s treatments as early as possible for better outcomes.”
When considering use of a blood test, the Alzheimer’s Association Appropriate Use Recommendations for Blood Biomarkers in Alzheimer’s Disease should be carefully followed. To help guide health care professionals in incorporating blood tests for Alzheimer’s in their clinical practice, the Association has convened a panel of clinical and subject-matter experts and is leading the preparation of clinical practice guidelines for the use of blood biomarkers in Alzheimer’s, which will be previewed at AAIC 2024.