The researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, have taken immense strides in the battle against Alzheimer’s disease. They created a blood test that both diagnosed the condition and offered insight into how it was progressing. This groundbreaking diagnostic test directly measures the levels of a protein associated with tau tangles, a hallmark feature of Alzheimer’s disease, in the brain. It’s a valuable tool for our healthcare professionals to develop the best possible treatment plans for their patients.
Asher was deeply involved in all aspects of this project, serving as both co-first and co-corresponding author on the study. During the molecular sieve testing, the research team found that the screens were doing something unexpected. They determined that participants with cognitive symptoms had significantly elevated levels of MTBR-tau243 — a tau protein fragment associated with Alzheimer’s tangles. Those in the mild cognitive impairment stage saw even higher amounts. Compared to these individuals, those in the late symptomatic stage had levels 100-200 times greater.
Alzheimer’s disease leads the brain to form tau tangles and amyloid plaques. These dangerous substances play a crucial role in cognitive decline. With this test, doctors are now able to determine the severity of the disease by measuring MTBR-tau243 levels. This advance enables them to monitor the disease’s progression over time.
“The cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease is highly associated with (tau) neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) pathology in (the) brain, not amyloid plaques pathology.” — Kanta Horie, PhD
With this new blood test, diagnostics for Alzheimer’s disease will change forever. Existing diagnostic approaches are invasive such as PET scans and analyses of cerebrospinal fluid. These techniques are invasive, expensive, and challenging for patients to access. This new blood test offers a much easier and more affordable option for patients and healthcare providers.
Randall J. Bateman, MD, a researcher involved in the study, emphasized the importance of this development:
“This new blood test can confirm the amount of tau tangles in the brain that helps determine the stage of Alzheimer’s disease and if cognitive decline is likely due to Alzheimer’s disease.”
He emphasized that this finding now makes it possible to track clinical symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease through a basic blood test. This new development significantly improves our monitoring power.
Biomarkers such as MTBR-tau243 are key tools for today’s physicians, as they allow for the measurement of multidimensional features of Alzheimer’s disease. With improved biomarkers, clinicians would be able to more precisely match treatments to an individual patient’s needs.
Manisha Parulekar, MD, FACP, AGSF, CMD, highlighted the significance of early diagnosis:
“A blood test offers a much simpler and less costly alternative. There’s a growing understanding that early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, which is a complex process, is crucial for effective intervention.”
For instance, she described that currently available therapies are likely to be more effective when the disease is identified in its earlier stages. An accurate, easy-to-administer blood test might allow for earlier detection and treatment, perhaps slowing the disease’s progression.
Parulekar noted that more research is needed to confirm the blood test’s effectiveness on a wide range of populations.
“The initial study needs to be replicated in larger and more diverse populations to confirm its accuracy and reliability across different demographics, ethnicities, and stages of the disease,” she stated.
Federal researchers should broaden the focus of demographic studies. They needed to set robust standards around blood collection, processing, and analysis to provide cavalier results independent of healthcare setting.
Parulekar went on to emphasize some of the other therapeutic advances in progress, with many anti-amyloid and anti-tau drugs in development. She’s hopeful that this new biomarker can help reshape how we stage Alzheimer’s disease. It may now allow for the development of an efficient panel of plasma biomarkers.
“We believe that this new biomarker becomes the key to establish the plasma biomarkers panel to stage Alzheimer’s disease, which would open the new window of precision medicine era for Alzheimer’s disease.” — Manisha Parulekar, MD, FACP, AGSF, CMD
The launch of this blood test marks an exciting new development in the diagnosis and research of Alzheimer’s. As researchers continue to refine their findings and expand their studies, there is hope that this test can become an essential tool in managing one of the most challenging neurological conditions affecting millions worldwide.
Leave a Reply