A new blood test was proven to have “high accuracy” in determining the risk of Alzheimer’s, paving the path for a cheaper, easier alternative to current tests for the illness, according to recently published research.
The peer-reviewed study, published in the JAMA Network on Jan. 22, investigated the use of a test called “ALZpath pTau217 assay” to identify Alzheimer’s with a blood test. Currently, individuals have to undergo a spinal tap or brain scan to identify protein buildup like amyloid beta and tau in the brain, which would suggest the risk of Alzheimer’s. However, these can be expensive and oftentimes inaccessible. The study focused on a form of tau protein called p-tau217—a key biomarker of Alzheimer’s.
