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For years, doctors have used an expensive brain scanner to detect the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers at the University of Washington have discovered that a simple blood test could have similar efficacy, according to a study published this month in the journal Neurology. According to the authors of the study, a blood test to diagnose early symptoms could facilitate the search for a simple or less expensive cure or even guide the treatment of the disease in the future.
"For a long time, the Alzheimer's research community has referred to the blood test as being the holy grail," said Suzanne Schindler, a neurologist at Wash U and study author. "In fact, three years ago, many people thought it was far away."
Alzheimer's patients develop entanglements and plaques of amyloid proteins in their brains. Scientists did not determine that plaques were the cause of memory loss due to Alzheimer's disease, but they knew that these proteins were present in the brain decades before symptoms became apparent.
Doctors use a technology called PET scan to detect these protein plaques and diagnose the disease, said Schindler. She and her colleagues studied 150 patients and found that a blood test performed with a tool called a spectrometer could detect plaques with about the same effectiveness as a PET scan.
In some cases, says Schindler, the blood test better predicts the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease than the brain scanner.
PET scanners can cost $ 5,000 and are generally not covered by insurance, she explained. And to be tested, patients must go to centers equipped with the machine. With a blood sample, the blood travels – not the person. Researchers can more easily and cheaply test amyloid plaques.
"In terms of ease, I do not think there is any comparison possible," Schindler said.
Scientists are beginning to agree that early detection of these plaques is essential to the development of a cure. Several potential treatments that attacked the protein after patients began to show symptoms failed.
Scientists believe that a curative treatment will target it during these early stages, Schindler said.
"Many drug trials for Alzheimer's disease have failed," she said. "And we think they've failed because they recruited participants who already had significant dementia, and at this point, it's much harder to treat the disease."
A blood test would easily identify people in the early stages of the disease to be targeted for clinical trials, which could eventually lead to recovery, she said.
"Most of them would not develop Alzheimer's disease during the study period. So we need to find a way to identify people who are at high risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, "said Schindler.
Far in the future, a blood test could be part of normal treatment and screening, she said.
"I imagine maybe in 20 or 30 years that when you see your family doctor, he takes your blood and sends it to check … to determine if you have diabetes or if you have a high cholesterol, it also sends it for an amyloid test. , "she says." If it's positive, they'll take you medicine that will prevent you from contracting Alzheimer's disease. "
Follow Sarah on Twitter: @petit_smudge
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