Researchers say a simple finger prick blood test could one day change the way we diagnose Alzheimer's disease, potentially allowing patients to screen for the disease early and from the comfort of their home.
"This is really the golden age of Alzheimer's research," said Dean Brenner, a member of the board of directors at the Alzheimer's Association who lost his mother to the mind-robbing disease in 2018.
"Finally, we are in a new era where there are treatments, where the doctor doesn't say -- as a doctor once said to me -- 'Hey, we're really sorry. There just isn't anything we can do,'" Brenner said.
He said he's encouraged by a new study that shows a simple finger prick blood test, similar to those used by people with diabetes, could one day help diagnose Alzheimer's. The noninvasive test could be taken at home then sent out for testing.
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"A finger prick test would be quick, it would be inexpensive and hopefully conclusive at identifying, at an early stage, who has Alzheimer's," Brenner said.
According to researchers, the new test was more than 85% accurate in identifying changes related to the disease.
While more research is still needed before seeking Food and Drug Administration approval, Brenner is hopeful.
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"I'm confident this is not science fiction. This is something that we ought to see in the next five years," Brenner said.
Right now, to diagnose for Alzheimer’s, doctors use physical and neurological exams, as well as diagnostic tests and brain imaging, which can be painful and expensive.
A finger prick test would dramatically improve testing and potentially lead to earlier diagnoses, which is key as more treatments become available.
Someone who's very old and in a nursing home, that’s not the face of Alzheimer's in reality. It's your neighbor, it's your colleague at work, it's a loved one, a grandparent, a parent, aunt, uncle, a cousin," Brenner said.
Just last month, the FDA fully approved a medication called Leqembi that has been proven to slow the progression of the disease. Other approved drugs only target symptoms.
But the medications need to be given in the early stages of the disease to be effective, which is why early detection is key, and blood tests such as this one would be extremely beneficial.
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