11 Biomarkers in Blood Could Help Predict Dementia 15 Years Before Symptoms Show With 90% Accuracy [Study]

Blood tests can now help determine one's risk of dementia. Researchers found blood biomarkers that could help find new drugs to slow or even reverse dementia.

Blood Tests For Dementia

In a new study, 11 protein "biomarkers" were discovered by researchers in the blood of people who were eventually diagnosed with Alzheimer's and related disorders, enabling them to predict the illnesses with over 90% accuracy. It is believed that the proteins would also aid in the direction of future drug development aimed at slowing or even reversing dementia.

The University of Warwick's Professor Jianfeng Feng stated that GPs might utilize the blood tests "seamlessly integrated" into the NHS for patient screening.

"This is highly important for screening middle-aged to older individuals within the community who are at high risk of dementia,'" he said.

Feng said new medications that interact with the proteins found in the investigation may be created, perhaps providing a cure. For dementia patients, an early diagnosis is essential. Alzheimer's disease can be slowed down in progression by new medications like lecanemab and donanemab, but only if the condition is identified early enough. These medications are not yet licensed for use in the UK.

Currently, lumbar punctures and PET scans-which employ a radioactive material to examine for abnormalities in the brain tissue-are the methods used to test for dementia. Since the NHS only has a small number of PET scanners, these procedures can be time-consuming, costly, and intrusive.

The blood test is thought to revolutionize the diagnosis of dementia and enable much earlier preventative therapy, improving patients' quality of life over an extended period of time.

Dr. Sheona Scales, director of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, found the study to be "fantastic progress" for dementia.

"Blood tests could unlock early diagnosis and are showing great promise, but so far none have been validated for use in the UK," she said.

"Finding better, more accessible ways to diagnose dementia is crucial," she added. "Only two out of three people with dementia in the UK ever receive a formal diagnosis, and current options are costly and invasive."

What's Next For The Blood Test For Dementia?

Though the research is encouraging, it must have regulatory approval before a test can be used in a hospital environment. However, Scales said they are already working on this.

"We are in the process of funding research to provide the evidence the NHS would need to move forward with blood tests to diagnose Alzheimer's disease," she said.

She added that new treatments like lecanemab should also be approved because they only work when given to people in the early stages of Alzheimer's. Currently, only very few individuals have access to the needed specialist tests.

Dr. Amanda Heslegrave of the UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London stated that more research might enable medical professionals to predict the kind of dementia a patient will experience, enabling them to customize their care. Also, according to her, developing a screening technique is imperative, as disease-modifying medications are almost ready for approval in the UK.

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