Currently approximately seven million Americans suffer from this disease. Alzheimer’s disease – and it’s estimated that 13 million people will suffer from the disease by 2050 – so early diagnosis and treatment are more important than ever.
To combat this problem, the Mayo Clinic has announced a new, non-invasive blood test that detects a protein in the brain that signals Alzheimer’s.
Doctors say the test aims to provide a convenient, less invasive alternative to traditional diagnostic methods.
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Fox News Digital spoke with Dr. Alicia Algeciras-Shimnich, a professor of laboratory medicine and pathology. Mayo Clinic Rochester, MinnesotaRead more about the new test and what it means for Alzheimer’s patients and their families.
“This is the first Alzheimer’s disease blood test to be offered at Mayo Clinic laboratories,” said Algeciras-Schimanich, who led the clinical validation study to assess the test’s effectiveness.
The Mayo Clinic (not pictured) has announced that a new, non-invasive blood test detects a protein in the brain that signals Alzheimer’s. (iStock)
“Although other commercial blood tests for Alzheimer’s disease are also available, the uniqueness of our test is its high accuracy rate.”
How does this work?
A distinctive feature in the brains of patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease is the build-up of plaques containing a protein called beta amyloid.
“The p-Tau217 test assesses the accumulation of beta amyloid in the brain by measuring the amount of phosphorylated tau 217 (p-Tau217) in the test sample,” Algeciras-Schimanich said.
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The doctor explained that accumulation of beta amyloid in the brain can also be assessed by imaging techniques, such as PET scans or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers – but those methods have some limitations.
“PET scans to evaluate beta amyloid are expensive and not a widely available technique,” Algeciras-Schimnich said.
The Mayo Clinic is a non-profit medical practice and medical research group based in Rochester, Minnesota. The Mayo Clinic has announced a new, non-invasive blood test that will help detect whether patients have Alzheimer’s. (iStock)
“And CSF collection requires an invasive technique to remove spinal fluid, so it’s also not widely used.”
He said blood biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease serve as a non-invasive tool that could improve access for patients who need answers.
How accurate is it?
In patients with symptoms of cognitive decline, the blood test has a sensitivity of 92% and a specificity of 96%.
” Sensitivity measures Testing Ability “The goal of a test is to correctly identify patients with the disease, while specificity measures the test’s ability to correctly identify patients without the disease,” Algeciras-Schimanich explained.
“Blood-based testing not only offers convenience, but could also help transform Alzheimer’s disease research.”
Patients who undergo the test are classified as positive or negative for the presence of beta amyloid deposits.
“In some patients, this test will not be able to distinguish between the presence or absence of beta amyloid,” Algeciras-Schimnich said.
Patients who undergo the test are classified as positive or negative for the presence of beta amyloid deposits. (iStock)
“These patients will require additional tests to determine whether they are positive or negative for accumulation of beta amyloid.”
The doctor said that this test has been deliberately designed to minimise the number of false positive results compared to other tests.
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“This test has been validated at Mayo Clinic through a rigorous quality process supported by scientific experts and clinicians,” Algeciras-Schimanich said.
This test is currently available ordering physicians Via Mayo Clinic Laboratories.
In March 2023, evidence of Alzheimer’s disease was seen on a PET scan at the Center for Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (CART) at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. (Reuters/Brian Snyder/File Photo)
“Since this is a blood test, it does require blood to be taken by a phlebotomist, so anyone who is intolerant to blood should be aware of this,” Algeciras-Schimnich said.
At this point, testing is only recommended for individuals Age 50 years or older Those who have symptoms of mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia.
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“We don’t yet have enough data to support how this test performs in younger individuals,” Algeciras-Schimanich said.
Michelle Rankin, PhD, a certified dementia clinician in Texas, is not affiliated with the Mayo Clinic but shared her comments on the test’s potential.
The doctor explained that accumulation of beta amyloid in the brain can also be assessed by imaging techniques, such as PET scans or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers – but those methods have some limitations. (Michael Robinson Chavez/The Washington Post)
“As the global burden of Alzheimer’s continues to rise, blood-based testing not only offers convenience but could also help make a difference.” Alzheimer’s Disease Research” Rankin told Fox News Digital.
“This may make screening more effective in preventing the clinical onset of Alzheimer’s disease.”
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“This innovation meets a growing need and could accelerate the development of new treatments, improve patient evaluation and care, and possibly even allow for early intervention before symptoms get worse,” Rankin said.
