- Alzheimer’s disease is a clinical diagnosis, and there is, as of yet, no single, simple diagnostic test.
- The diagnostic tests that exist can be invasive, expensive, and time-consuming.
- Developing a simple, early diagnostic test could help to target the use of new Alzheimer’s drugs to people in the early stages of the condition.
- An international team has found a blood test that detects a particular form of tau is effective at detecting changes in amyloid and tau in the brain.
A blood test that screens for Alzheimer’s disease shows promise in detecting changes in amyloid beta and tau protein levels in the brain years before symptoms emerge, according to a new study published in
Despite Alzheimer’s disease affecting
This has led to a situation in the United States where less than half of people with dementia have been diagnosed by a physician, according to the
Lack of accuracy in testing means detecting the disease in its early stages is difficult. A result of this is that the few treatment options that are available for Alzheimer’s disease can’t be started early when they might be the most effective, and it is also hard to design trials to determine if certain drugs would be effective if started in the early stages of the disease.
In 2023, controversy reigned over the FDA’s decision to approve
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