 - an early sign of the disease which if detected could lead to drugs or lifestyle changes being prescribed when they are most likely to be effectiveThe discovery could lead to drugs or lifestyle changes being prescribed when they are most likely to be effective A blood test that diagnoses Alzheimer's years before symptoms develop could be on the horizon. Scientists have identified chemicals linked to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) - an early sign of the disease. It could lead to drugs or lifestyle changes being prescribed when they are most likely to be effective. Corresponding author Professor Bin Xu, of North Carolina Central University, said: "Our work provides a new avenue for developing diagnosis and differentiation tools for Alzheimer's." The discovery offers hope of national screening programs. It is based on post mortem brain tissue from patients who died with and without the disease. Dementia robs sufferers of their memory and families of loved ones well before they die - stock image ( Getty Images) Specific forms of a rogue protein, known as p-tau198 and p-tau217, differentiated those with MCI from older subjects without the impairment. They show up in plasma, a yellowish liquid that carries red and white blood cells around the body. Currently, PET (positron emission tomography) scans are required for clinical diagnosis of dementia (ADRD) or spinal lumbar punctures. Both are costly. Identifying biomarkers for the development of non-invasive or minimally invasive and inexpensive tests is thus an urgent and unmet need. Significant progress has been made in the last few years, such as the development of tests for tau biomarkers with blood samples. Prof Xu said: "However, so far there are no well-established biomarkers that are capable of robustly discriminating MCI or the first stage of Alzheimer's from cognitively normal samples." Scientists have identified chemicals linked to mi){kind=link}
Scientists have identified chemicals linked to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) – an early sign of the disease which if detected could lead to drugs or lifestyle changes being prescribed when they are most likely to be effective
A blood test that diagnoses Alzheimer’s years before symptoms develop could be on the horizon.
Scientists have identified chemicals linked to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) – an early sign of the disease.
It could lead to drugs or lifestyle changes being prescribed when they are most likely to be effective.
Corresponding author Professor Bin Xu, of North Carolina Central University, said: “Our work provides a new avenue for developing diagnosis and differentiation tools for Alzheimer’s.”