WASHINGTON (AP) β A blood test may predict if apparently healthy older adults are likely to develop Alzheimer's symptoms in the next five or 10 years, researchers reported Wednesday.
The study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, involved 1,200 participants without cognitive impairment. The test measured levels of a protein called p-tau217, which is associated with Alzheimer's pathology. High levels of p-tau217 were linked to a significantly increased risk of developing Alzheimer's symptoms within the next decade.
Dr. Oskar Hansson of Lund University in Sweden, the lead author, said the test could be used to identify people for clinical trials of preventive treatments. However, he cautioned that the test is not yet ready for widespread clinical use and should be validated in larger, more diverse populations.
The findings offer hope for early detection but also raise ethical questions about informing healthy individuals of their risk without effective preventive therapies. The Alzheimer's Association noted that while promising, the test requires further study before it can be recommended for routine screening.
