An international team of scientists has developed a new blood test that could help to detect Alzheimer's Disease, the most common form of dementia, in an early stage. Belgium's Alzheimer expert Bart De Strooper (KU Leuven) told the VRT that "this discovery marks the acceleration in the battle against the disease."
"Acceleration in the battle against Alzheimer's disease", says Belgian Alzheimer expert about new blood test
Michaël Torfs
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Over the past year, some blood tests had been developed already. This one adds something extra, "it is a like a new tool box in scientists' fight" against Alzheimer's comments De Strooper. Details about the latest test were published in the science magazine 'Brain' .
The study involved 600 people and allows researchers to determine brain damage in nerve cells because of Alzheimer's. The results of the study are seen as very promising but will have to be tested on a wider scale. Still, the new test could be validated "relatively soon" in one or two year's time, De Strooper expects.
The latest blood test is important because it can make testing for the disease a lot easier and less complicated. Now, it is usually a brain scan or lumbal punction that is carried out, but this is costly and time-consuming. A blood test could be done at your GP's. It may also help to detect the disease in an earlier stage.
The news is all the more relevant after the discovery of a medicine a couple of weeks ago. Lecanemab was the first medicine to be found to work against Alzheimer's, slowing down the effects of the disease to allow patients to win time. "After 20 years of research with almost no results, it seems the hard work is finally paying off", De Strooper said about the latest developments. "The battle against the disease is accelerating."