Researchers have created a blood test that can diagnose Alzheimer’s disease without the invasive, commonly employed treatments. The blood test could facilitate a quicker disease diagnosis.
It can be difficult to identify Alzheimer’s disease early. Brain imaging and a gruelling lumbar puncture are currently used to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease.
Cerebro-Spinal Fluid (CSF) from the spinal cord is analysed during lumbar puncture. Patients may experience headaches and backaches after the CSF has been extracted due to the harsh extraction methods.
However, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and its international partners have created a blood test that might eliminate the need for invasive CSF testing.
‘A blood test is cheaper, safer and easier to administer, and it can improve clinical confidence in diagnosing Alzheimer’s and selecting participants for clinical trial and disease monitoring,’ said Prof Thomas Karikari from University of Pittsburgh.
It is an antibody-based blood test to detect a specific protein called brain-derived tau. This protein is specifically linked to Alzeimer’s disease.
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