An Alzheimer's blood test is almost here

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We're getting closer to a blood test for Alzheimer's

By Alice Park

Senior Health Correspondent

Nearly 7 million people over age 65 in the U.S. have Alzheimer’s, but it's a difficult condition to diagnose. Currently, doctors rely on two tests: a PET scan of the brain that looks for amyloid buildup, or a lumbar puncture so they can analyze the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for signs of amyloid or another protein, tau. They are expensive or invasive, and with the number of Americans with Alzheimer’s expected to grow to nearly 14 million by 2060, finding easier and more accessible ways to diagnose the disease is a top priority.

That’s why doctors are excited by the results of a study showing that a blood test for diagnosing Alzheimer’s is about 95% accurate—which is on par with CSF. The test, made by ALZPath, detects a specific form of tau that tends to increase as amounts of amyloid start to accumulate in the brain. The advantage, say the scientists who conducted the study, is that levels of tau start to rise early in the disease, before symptoms of memory loss and other signs of cognitive decline. That’s important for patients, since recent drug treatments are most effective when patients take them earlier in the disease. The company says that the blood-based test will be available for doctors to order next month through certain certified labs.

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AN EXPERT VOICE

"We think this is a first signal that these drugs can be used as plasticity-enhancing agents."

— Dr. Nolan Williams, associate professor of psychiatry at Stanford University, on a recent study of the psychedelic ibogaine for treating traumatic brain injuries and mental-health conditions

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Today's newsletter was written by Alice Park and Jamie Ducharme, and edited by Mandy Oaklander.

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