The ability to detect early Alzheimer’s via a blood test has become something of a Holy Grail among researchers of the disease.
At least one team could be closer than ever to being able to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease using a finger prick blood test. The test has the potential to be used at home and reach more people, they said. One huge plus: It doesn’t have the timing and temperature requirements of traditional blood work, and the results are just as accurate.
The research was unveiled last week at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Amsterdam.
“Blood tests — once verified and approved — would offer a quick, noninvasive and cost-effective option,” Maria C. Carrillo, PhD, chief science officer of the Alzheimer’s Association, said in a statement.
Blood tests already are being used in trials due to their ease of use in screening people for the disease. Some evidence has shown they provide similar results in terms of accuracy when compared to brain imaging scans and cerebrospinal fluid tests — tests that are considered the gold standard in Alzheimer’s disease detection.
The finger prick test measures neurofilament light (NfL), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and phosphorylated tau (p-tau181 and 217) — key biomarkers related to Alzheimer’s disease.
The team collected blood from the veins and fingers of 77 people in a memory clinic in Barcelona. When they measured the biomarkers, the scientists found that all were detectable in the finger pick samples, and correlated to the findings from standard blood work.
Possible blood tests for Alzheimer’s have been in development for several years, with some showing 94% accuracy, the McKnight’s Clinical Daily has reported.
Although a blood test has been considered the obvious alternative to PET scans, one research team currently is developing an EEG “Fastball” test for early Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
In addition, new treatment options for Alzheimer’s have led to a push for expanded Medicare coverage of PET scans, as the McKnight’s Tech Daily reported last week.
