Blood test may detect Alzheimer’s risk in healthy people, study finds - New York Post
A new study published in JAMA suggests that a blood test measuring p-tau217 levels can predict the risk of developing Alzheimer's symptoms in healthy older adults years in advance. Researchers emphasize that while the test is a breakthrough for clinical trials, it is not yet recommended for routine screening in healthy individuals.
Why it matters
Early detection tools are vital for enrolling high-risk patients in preventative drug trials, potentially changing the future of Alzheimer's treatment.
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Add The New York Post on Google 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 certain drugs could prevent or at least delay the disease — and if any of those pan out, doctors will need an easy way to tell who should try them.
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