Recent research shared at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in London highlights the potential of blood tests to change Alzheimer’s diagnosis and prediction methods. Studies indicate blood tests could significantly enhance how the disease is identified and even forecast who may develop Alzheimer’s in the future.
One study presented earlier this week found that primary care doctors improved their diagnostic accuracy for Alzheimer’s when they had access to patient’s blood test results. The results improved their ability to determine if cognitive symptoms were linked to Alzheimer’s.
Another study, published in the journal JAMA, demonstrated that these blood tests could forecast a person’s risk of Alzheimer’s-related cognitive issues over periods of two, five, and ten years. These tests detect amyloid and tau proteins, which are biological indicators of Alzheimer’s.
The hope is that such tests will transform Alzheimer’s into a condition treated at an early stage and help discover methods to delay or prevent cognitive decline. Despite the excitement among experts about the tests’ potential, some questions about their optimal use and accuracy remain.