A new study has revealed that a cutting-edge blood test can diagnose Alzheimer’s disease with over 90% accuracy, offering a promising alternative to current diagnostic methods.
Conducted by researchers at Lund University in Sweden, the study highlights the effectiveness of the p-tau217 blood test in determining whether memory loss is caused by Alzheimer’s.
Published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the research found that the blood test’s accuracy significantly outperformed traditional methods.
The p-tau217 test correctly identified Alzheimer’s in about 91% of cases, compared to 73% accuracy by specialist doctors and 61% by primary care physicians.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, characterized by progressive memory loss and cognitive decline.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that up to 5.8 million Americans were living with the disease in 2020.
Traditionally, diagnosing Alzheimer’s involves expensive and time-consuming methods, such as brain imaging (MRI, CT, PET scans) and spinal taps. These methods, while accurate, are not always accessible due to high costs and long waiting times.
The p-tau217 test offers a less invasive and more accessible alternative by measuring specific blood peptides associated with Alzheimer’s-related neurological damage.
These tau protein tangles, which track the buildup of amyloid in the brain, can appear decades before noticeable memory loss begins, making early diagnosis and treatment more feasible.
In the study, researchers tested approximately 1,200 individuals with an average age of 74 who were undergoing evaluations for potential Alzheimer’s.
The results from the blood test were compared to diagnoses from doctors and full-accuracy spinal tap tests.
Despite its high accuracy, the test is not infallible, but it holds potential to reduce the burden on specialist care and improve access for those in need.
A similar study conducted in January found that the p-tau217 test could achieve even higher accuracy, up to 96%. However, widespread use of this test is not yet common, and coverage may be limited.
The Mayo Clinic notes that while laboratory blood tests for amyloid and tau levels are available, they are not widely accessible.
This advancement could make accurate Alzheimer’s diagnosis more accessible and timely, ultimately improving care and outcomes for patients.