A first-of-its-kind study from UC San Francisco published Thursday found a simple blood test for middle-aged adults may indicate who is more likely to show diminished cognition even without any dementia symptoms.
Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative neurological condition that remains a top cause of death in the U.S. There’s increasing pressure to unlock who is at risk for the disease as its prevalence is growing: Cases are expected to nearly double by 2060, from a current estimate of 7.4 million cases to 13.8 million among people age 65 and older, according to a report by the Alzheimer’s Association.
While the condition is mainly diagnosed in elderly individuals, researchers know the disease actually starts to develop in the brain decades before the first symptoms show up. But identifying those early developments and who at ages 40 to 50 is on a path to being diagnosed with the disease largely remains a mystery.
Dr. Kristine Yaffe, the senior author of the study and vice chair in the UCSF Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, told SFGATE by phone Wednesday that, currently, diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease means looking at clinical symptoms in addition to sometimes costly medical scans or painful tests like a spinal tap. But in recent years, physicians have been able to detect key proteins linked to Alzheimer’s disease via a blood draw.
“This idea of being able to get a blood test for Alzheimer’s is just a huge breakthrough,” Yaffe said.
https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/ucsf-alzheimers-disease-cognitive-22279169.php