A blood test that can detect Alzheimer’s disease prior to the outbreak, opens up new possibilities for the exploration of therapies. Long before impairment of memory may occur in performance, the progression of the disease, the Test will not only track, but also predict.

Up to 16 years prior to the onset of dementia symptoms, the blood test can show changes in the brain. In Alzheimer’s disease, called the Amyloid Protein accumulates in the brain and damages the nerve cells. The blood test developed by researchers from the German center for Neurodegenerative diseases, Hertie-Institute for clinical brain research and the University hospital of Tübingen, is a measure of the Remains of these damaged nerve cells.

The absolute concentrations of these Remains are less important than their temporal development. Study leader Mathias Jucker said: "We were able to make predictions about the loss of brain mass and cognitive impairments, which then occurred two years later." The Test is to show the progression of the disease very accurately, and is thus an excellent tool to explore in clinical trials of new Alzheimer’s therapies.

In the international study of 405 people, the blood test in people with genetic Alzheimer’s disease. In this particular Form of the outbreak can be predicted relatively accurately by means of genetic analyses before. So the blood test on these people was used even before the onset of symptoms and the results thereof are evaluated.

ZOU