A blood test could "revolutionise" the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.
A blood test could transform the diagnosis for Alzheimer's disease
Research suggests that measuring levels of the p-tau217 protein in the blood could be just as accurate as painful and invasive lumbar punctures at detecting the early signs of the progressive condition.
The protein is a marker for biological changes in the brain for people with Alzheimer's - a form of dementia - and could be better than a number of other tests in development.
In a study of 786 people, the researchers were able to use the blood test to determine whether patients were likely or unlikely to have Alzheimer's.
Dr. Richard Oakley, associate director of research and innovation at the Alzheimer's Society, said: "This study is a hugely welcome step in the right direction as it shows that blood tests can be just as accurate as more invasive and expensive tests at predicting if someone has features of Alzheimer's disease in their brain.
"Furthermore, it suggests results from these tests could be clear enough to not require further follow-up investigations for some people living with Alzheimer's disease, which could speed up the diagnosis pathway significantly in future."