Blood tests may uncover early Alzheimer’s signs decades before symptoms appear
- A Finnish study found that elevated brain biomarkers may indicate early signs of Alzheimer’s disease in adults aged 41 to 56.
- The research involved 2,051 participants, including both middle-aged individuals and their parents.
- Detecting Alzheimer’s through blood tests could lead to earlier diagnosis, but further research is necessary.
In Finland, a large-scale study has identified that indicators of Alzheimer’s disease may be detected through blood tests in middle-aged individuals, specifically those between the ages of 41 and 56. This research is a significant part of the long-term 'Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns' study and involved 2,051 participants, which included both middle-aged adults and their elderly parents. Notably, elevated levels of brain-related biomarkers were discovered in the participating adults, providing preliminary evidence that biological changes associated with Alzheimer’s could begin decades prior to the manifestation of cognitive impairment. The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Turku and its findings were published in The Lancet's 'Healthy Longevity'. Senior researcher Suvi Rovio highlighted that current clinical practices for detecting Alzheimer's pathology typically rely on complex procedures, including imaging studies or cerebrospinal fluid sampling. However, advancements in ultrasensitive measurement technologies have made it feasible to identify Alzheimer’s disease-related brain biomarkers from blood samples, offering a less invasive approach. The study's team also examined genetic components related to the disease. They found that the APOE ε4 gene, a known risk factor for Alzheimer’s, correlated with higher levels of biomarkers in older individuals. Importantly, higher biomarker levels were also found to be connected to factors like aging and kidney disease, further indicating a timeline of Alzheimer’s development that precedes noticeable cognitive decline. Additionally, there appears to be a hereditary element, as the children of individuals with elevated biomarker levels also exhibited similar patterns. Despite these promising findings, the researchers cautioned that while blood tests show potential for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease, they are not yet reliable for diagnosis purposes. Suvi Rovio emphasized the need for further investigation across diverse populations and age demographics to establish standardized reference values for these biomarkers in routine clinical practice. Overall, this study offers new insights into brain health from middle age onward, raising hope for earlier intervention strategies against Alzheimer’s disease in the future.