Can blood tests detect Alzeihmers?

By Rachael Schultz

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A simple blood test could determine if you'll develop Alzeihmers, says a new study

Alzheimer’s runs in your blood—and not just because it’s a genetic disorder. Researchers from Georgetown University have developed a blood test that can determine—with more than 90 per cent accuracy—if you will develop Alzheimer’s or mild cognitive impairment within the next three years.

In the early stages of cognitive disorders, the synapses and neurons in your brain—cells it uses to communicate—begin to degrade and malfunction, explains study coauthor Dr Howard Federoff. This is what causes the memory and thinking problems associated with Alzheimer’s, but it’s possible this breakdown also leaves a trace in your blood. The new test looks for particular lipids in your blood that potentially come from these neural cell membranes crashing.

While there is no cure or even an effective treatment for Alzheimer’s—the third-leading cause of death in Australia—this test would alert unknowing people to their high risk level. In turn, possible Alzheimer’s patients could look into clinical trials sooner, testing therapies that potentially could halt or slow the disease progression, Dr. Federoff says. Plus, the test would allow the patients’ families to monitor them closer, earlier, and make arrangements for the many adjustments that come with a sudden diagnosis, he adds.

While Dr. Federoff’s team is unsure if and when the test will become available to the public, ideally your GP could one day order it alongside other blood tests during your regular checkup, he says.

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