A research firm in Edinburgh is developing a blood test to identify Alzheimer's disease at an earlier stage. Scottish Brain Sciences has partnered with global healthcare company Roche Diagnostics on a series of projects investigating the earliest indicators of neurodegenerative disease.
Early detection could enable patients to receive treatment sooner, potentially preventing late-stage dementia. Professor Craig Ritchie, founder of Scottish Brain Sciences, said: 'Early detection will be transformative in the way we assess, manage, and conceptualise clinically Alzheimer's disease. It will open the door to interventions used very early in the course of disease that are better targeted than current treatments.'
Researchers will use blood-based biomarkers—biological indicators of the body's internal condition—to learn more about early indicators. Alzheimer's disease, the most common cause of dementia, can cause memory problems, confusion, and communication issues.
Dr Ashton Harper, director of medical affairs for Roche Diagnostics UK and Ireland, said early diagnosis helps patients manage symptoms. 'Early and accurate diagnosis of this condition has numerous advantages such as appropriate and timely management of symptoms, access to clinical trials, and enabling future planning. Earlier diagnosis may also delay the need for residential care and reduce costs for health and social care.'
In July, a global trial of the drug donanemab confirmed it slowed cognitive decline in Alzheimer's patients. The antibody medicine works in early stages by clearing a protein that builds up in the brain. The trial found that those in earlier stages of the disease benefited most from treatment.
