a trace of early diagnosis through blood tests

Depending on the concentration of these two molecules, called ptau 181 and NfL, we could predict future progression of Alzheimer’s disease in individuals with mild cognitive impairment, according to this work published in the specialist journal Nature Aging.

The Swedish and British researchers base their conclusions on examining data from around 570 patients. The experimental test was able to predict the development of Alzheimer’s patients with an accuracy of 88% over a four-year period.

According to the WHO (World Health Organization), 50 million people are affected by dementia worldwide, with 60-70% of cases caused by Alzheimer’s disease.

There is no cure for this disease, which results in brain degeneration and memory loss. In recent years, several experimental studies have given hope for progress in its early diagnosis, which has not yet translated into concrete progress in real life.

“If these blood markers can predict the onset of Alzheimer’s disease in larger and more diverse groups, we could see a revolution,” hoped Richard Oakley, head of research at the Alzheimer’s Society charity, cited by the British organization Science Media Center (SMC).

According to Musaid Husain, a professor of neurology at Oxford University, this trace could “potentially change that.”

“These findings need to be confirmed, but in the context of other recent work, this could be an important step towards early diagnosis as well as testing new treatments at a less advanced stage of the disease,” he said. continued, quoted by the SMC.