England: A new study involving over 3,000 patients is working to verify a blood test that can detect memory and mental processing issues at an early stage, potentially transforming dementia diagnosis.
Currently, only 2% of Alzheimer’s patients receive a proper diagnosis due to the lack of specialized PET brain scanners and trained personnel at NHS to take spinal fluid samples, but this blood test could change that.
Stephanie Everill, 67, is one of the first participants in the Blood Biomarker Challenge. She was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment a year ago and has a family history of Alzheimer’s. Her struggles with memory have motivated her to take part, hoping that the study might lead to faster diagnoses and treatment access for herself and others.
The test analyses blood for specific biomarkers linked to various forms of dementia, which could offer a cheaper and more accessible way to diagnose these conditions. Researchers aim to have the blood test ready for routine clinical use within five years.
A nationwide trial aimed at transforming how dementia is diagnosed through blood tests is now underway!
The READ-OUT research team will assess a range of new and existing blood tests for different types of dementia and assess how they could be used to detect dementia at various… pic.twitter.com/RVUlGL554D
— Alzheimer's Society (@alzheimerssoc) January 29, 2025
Professor Vanessa Raymont, a senior clinical researcher at the University of Oxford, stated that this blood test could help patients receive an early diagnosis, enabling them to benefit from new drugs that are expected to be licensed for NHS use in the coming years. Raymont noted that without early diagnoses, it would be “disastrous” for patients to miss out on these new treatments.
The research, funded by the Alzheimer’s Society, Alzheimer’s Research UK, and the People’s Postcode Lottery, aims to revolutionize the dementia diagnostic process.
Professor Fiona Carragher, from the Alzheimer’s Society, emphasized that dementia is the UK’s biggest killer, yet a third of people do not get diagnosed. The blood biomarker test is seen as a key solution to improving diagnosis rates and treatment access for dementia patients.
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