Promising Research On Early Alzheimer's Risk Detection

Researchers from Mass General published the results of a study linking elevated levels of plasma phosphorylated tau 217 (p-tau217) to increased risk for Alzheimer's Disease within five or ten years. The study, published in JAMA, could help researchers identify candidates for future early intervention drug trials.

For now, doctors involved in the study do not recommend diagnostic blood tests for asymptomatic individuals since there is no currently available drug for those who test positive. However, as the consensus seems to be that early detection and treatment will likely have better outcomes than waiting for obvious symptoms to appear, the test could be useful in the future when earlier treatments are available.

The identification of a detectable biomarker will help identify the best cohorts for future drug trials. For more information, head over to Neuroscience News.