Tag Archives: Alzheimer’s disease

Health, Medical, Research, Science

Blood test that can detect Alzheimer’s 15 years before onset

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

A SIMPLE blood test can detect Alzheimer’s disease up to 15 years before symptoms begin, a major trial has found. It paves the way for a national screening programme.

The trial found that the test was as accurate as the current gold standard for diagnosing the condition.

For the first time, doctors were able to say if a person had a high, medium, or low chance, of having the disease – ruling out further invasive procedures.

Experts have said it would “revolutionise” diagnosis, making Alzheimer’s as easy to test and detect as for other routine health conditions such as high cholesterol.

Patients could expect results within days of visiting their GP, rather than the years it currently takes to get a diagnosis. This could have huge implications for future treatments, removing the barriers for a diagnosis – such as long waits for spinal taps or brain scans – and speeding up trials.

It could also pave the way for screening over-50s once more effective treatments become available.

Made by diagnostics company ALZpath, it was found to be 97 per cent accurate at detecting traces of the “tau” protein, which was linked to developing Alzheimer’s disease during the eight-year trials. These proteins start to build up on the brain 10 to 15 years before symptoms start showing.

Researchers in Sweden found high levels of the “tau” protein in the blood test corresponded to high levels of Alzheimer markers seen in expensive diagnostic brain scans and painful lumbar punctures.

The more of this leaked “tau” brain protein in the blood, the more likely or advanced the Alzheimer’s disease was in the tests involving 786 people. Growing evidence suggests biomarker changes like these can be detected in the blood years before other signs of the disease appear in the brain.

It means if scientists can find a way to stop these protein levels from rising, they could effectively halt Alzheimer’s in its tracks.

With breakthrough treatments such as donanemab and lecanemab on the horizon, experts say it is vital to have quick and reliable diagnoses. Professor David Curtis of University College London Genetics Institute said this was “one half of the solution”, while we await effective treatments.

He added: “This potentially could have huge implications. Everybody over 50 could be routinely screened every few years, in much the same way as they are now screened for high cholesterol.”

Around 900,000 people in the UK live with dementia – with Alzheimer’s the most common form. The growing ageing population means numbers are expected to rise to 1.6million by 2040, making a cheap screening tool vital to get to grips with the challenge.

Alzheimer’s Research UK analysis found 74,261 people died from dementia in 2022 compared with 69,178 a year earlier, making it the country’s biggest killer. While previous blood tests have shown promise, these findings have caused particular excitement given the high accuracy levels, large study size, and because the test already exists commercially.

It is also the first time a blood test has been found to be at least as good as a painful lumbar puncture or spinal tap for detecting elevated levels of the tau protein, according to the research team at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

Lumbar punctures involve taking fluid from the patient’s spinal cord. The inexpensive tests – priced at around £150 – could also be used to monitor a patient’s condition, allowing more tailored trials or treatment in future.

Dr Richard Oakley, of the Alzheimer’s Society, urged that more research would be needed, but said: “This study is a huge welcome step in the right direction as it shows that blood tests can be just as accurate as more invasive and expensive tests.

“It suggests results from these tests could be clear enough to not require follow-up investigations for some people living with Alzheimer’s disease, which could speed up diagnosis.”

The tests would need regulatory approval before widespread use. But they could form part of NHS trials starting imminently and looking to roll out blood tests for Alzheimer’s within the next five years.

The scientists’ findings were first published in JAMA Neurology.

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Health, Medical, Research, Science

Gene discovery for Alzheimer’s

MEDICAL RESEARCH

THE chance of developing Alzheimer’s from faulty genes could be reduced after a breakthrough by scientists.

About 14 per cent of people carry a gene called APOE4, which doubles the risk of getting Alzheimer’s.

But a new study by scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) shows it is possible to change the faulty gene into a less harmful variant with a lower chance of leading to Alzheimer’s.

It is hoped that in the future, stem cells with the altered gene could be introduced into the brains of Alzheimer’s sufferers to reverse the disease, a technique referred to as gene therapy.

The researchers took stem cells from a human donor and modified them to change the faulty gene to the lower-risk variant.

Study leader Li-Huei Tsai, said: “APOE4 is by far the most significant risk gene for late-onset, sporadic Alzheimer’s disease. However, there really has not been a whole lot off research done on it. We still don’t have a very good idea of why APOE4 increases the disease risk.”

. See also Alzheimer’s genes advance

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Health, Medical, Research, Science

Alzheimer’s genes advance

MEDICAL RESEARCH

Scientists at the University of Edinburgh have discovered many new genes that are linked to thinking and cognitive skills. The breakthrough could help in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease.

SCIENTISTS have discovered nearly 150 genes linked to thinking skills in a breakthrough that could help combat Alzheimer’s disease.

A team lead by the University of Edinburgh found 148 genes that could have an impact on thinking skills – such as memory, reasoning, speed of mental processing and spatial awareness.

. See also New biological marker could detect Alzheimer’s disease ten years before symptoms appear…

Scientists said the results could help understanding of the declines in cognitive function that happen with illness as people age.

The study analysed data from 300,486 people aged between 16 and 102 who had taken part in 57 cohort studies in Australia, Europe and North America.

Dr Gall Davies, of the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, who led the analysis, said: ‘This study, the largest genetic study of cognitive function, has identified many genetic differences that contribute to the heritability of thinking skills.

‘The discovery of shared genetic effects on health outcomes and brain structure provides a foundation for exploring the mechanisms by which these differences influence thinking skills throughout a lifetime.’

As well as having better thinking skills, the genetic areas are associated with better cardiovascular and mental health, lower risk of lung cancer and longer life.

Those who participated in the study, first published in Nature Communications, had taken a variety of thinking and mental tests which were summarised as a general cognitive ability score.

All had genetic testing that examined their DNA, and none had dementia or a stroke.

Medicine Chest

Brazil Nuts

. Brazil Nuts – Selenium is found in Brazil nuts, which are actually one of the very few good sources of this mineral, needed in the body to make the antioxidant enzyme called glutathione peroxidase, which help prevent free-radical damage to your cells.

Studies continue to show that people who eat selenium-rich food greatly reduce their risk of developing cancer and heart disease. Research also indicates that selenium helps the kidneys to clean toxins from the body more efficiently. Other sources include whole-grain cereals, seafood and seaweed.

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