A blood test is about 90 percent accurate in diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease in people experiencing problems thinking and remembering, says a study by a team of Swedish researchers published in the medical journal JAMA.c The blood test and others like it are not widely available to patients, but they could be soon. That would be a “revolutionary change,” says Paul Newhouse, M.D., director of the Center for Cognitive Medicine at Vanderbilt University.
Blood Test
When making an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, doctors rely on a patchwork of physical and cognitive tests and brain scans or invasive spinal taps. A highly effective blood test could save a lot of time and money, Newhouse says.
A faster diagnosis could also improve access to new Alzheimer’s treatments that are approved for patients in the early to mild stages of the disease.
Research presented at the Alzheimer’s Association’s 2024 conference this summer suggests that an accurate blood test could slash the wait time for these treatments by several years. Article courtesy of AARP.