Alzheimer's blood test tipped for early diagnosis

Researchers from University of Nottingham say test may improve treatment A test that can detect the Alzheimer's disease in its earliest stages, has been developed by a group of British researchers. Scientists at the University of Nottingham told the Alzheimer's Research UK Conference that looking for a combination of "markers" in the blood could mean earlier diagnosis for suffers of the disease.
The test uses some proteins that have been strongly linked with Alzheimer's disease, such as amyloid and APOE. Through careful analysis of blood from people with the disease, as well as those with early-stage memory problems, the researchers detected some other markers that were suggestive of the disease.
 Prof Kevin Morgan from the University of Nottingham said they still had to validate the test and it could be a decade before it was used in patients, but added that it looked “very promising”.
"Our findings are exciting because they show that it is technically possible to distinguish between healthy people and those with Alzheimer's using a blood test,” said Morgan.
"As blood tests are a fast and easy way of aiding diagnosis, we are really encouraged by these findings and the potential they hold for the future."
He said there were several ways the test could benefit patients, including giving people a definitive early diagnosis and better treatment.
Potentially, it could be a "cheap and easy pre-screen" test which enabled Alzheimer's to be picked up before symptoms appeared, he said.
"The way we see it working is you can test people and it will tell them if they have the all-clear, or if they are medium- or high-risk.
"If they are medium-risk, they can be monitored closely and high-risk patients can be referred to a specialist for more in-depth testing," added Morgan.
Dr Eric Karran, director of Research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said: "Giving people with dementia an accurate diagnosis is not always easy, and so building up our armoury of diagnostic techniques is vital.
"While there is still some way to go before a test like this could become available, the results are promising.
"When used alongside other diagnostic techniques, a blood test like this could be a real help."