JNCASR scientists develop smartphone-based diagnostic system for detection of Alzheimer’s disease
Scientists at JNCASR have developed a low-cost, smartphone-based diagnostic tool to detect Alzheimer's disease biomarkers. The system uses a fluorescence-responsive molecule to identify amyloid-β fibrils, offering a more accessible alternative to expensive imaging tests.
Why it matters
Early and affordable detection of Alzheimer's is critical for effective management, and this technology could significantly lower barriers to diagnostic screening.
Scientists at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) have developed a low-cost, user-friendly point-of-care diagnostic system for the detection of Alzheimer’s.
The system uses a smartphone-enabled platform employing a fluorescence-responsive tiny molecule to help in the detection of the Alzheimer’s biomarker amyloid-β (Aβ).
Alzheimer’s is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterised by memory loss, cognitive decline, and behavioural impairment.
Central to its pathology is the misfolding and aggregation of amyloid-β (Aβ), which self-assembles into fibrils and deposits as extracellular plaques that trigger neurotoxic cascades leading to synaptic dysfunction and neurodegeneration.
The National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer’s Association framework identifies Aβ, tau, and neurodegeneration as core biomarkers for definitive Alzheimer’s diagnosis across the brain, cerebrospinal fluid, and blood.
According to the Department of Science and Technology, Aβ pathology is an early Alzheimer’s disease-specific biomarker, making Aβ a more reliable diagnostic indicator.
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