Alzheimer's finger-prick test could help diagnosis

An international trial is looking at whether a finger-prick blood test could be used to aid in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. The research, which involved 1,000 volunteers aged over 60 in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada, will look for biomarkers related to the condition. After seeing his mother's decline from Alzheimer's disease, Dr Michael Sandberg, a London GP, was encouraged to enroll in the study. He had a negative result from the tests and said it was "a huge relief. The Bio-Hermes-002 investigation is funded by the UK Dementia Research Institute and the Medical Research Corporation LifeArc and the Global Alzheimer's Platform Foundation, which is led by the medical research charity

We are looking at the presence of three proteins that have been linked to Alzheimer's disease, including blood-based biomarkers,

LifeArc's director, Dr Giovanna Lalli said.

By determining the presence and amounts of these proteins, we may determine whether a person is at risk of contracting Alzheimer's disease.

Studies have shown that rogue proteins such as amyloid and tau can accumulate in the brains of people over 15 years before they begin to exhibit signs of Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia.

All the volunteers will be screened for Alzheimer's, which requires a special brain PET scan using a radioactive tracer or a lumbar puncture to remove a sample of cerebrospinal fluid. Since only two out of 100 Alzheimer's patients are eligible for such tests, the hope is that the finger-prick test will help revolutionize how the disease is identified.

Getting an accurate diagnosis takes far too long, Prof Fiona Carragher, chief policy and research officer at the Alzheimer's Society, said, with tests not widely available across the United Kingdom. "With new therapies on the horizon, early and precise diagnosis must take precedence for the NHS. That's why we're funding studies for dementia, so anyone who needs a diagnosis can obtain one quickly and accurately.

Sandberg, a trial participant, told the BBC:

My mother did very well on a jury, and that encouraged me to participate.

I believe knowledge is power, and am thrilled that you will be able to screen people at risk of dementia without expensive scans or needles.

Both the brain scan and the finger-prick test were negative when Sandberg was given his findings.

It's a huge relief to know what my mother went through," he said. This is, of course, just one set of findings. Scientists will need to review the findings from all 1,000 volunteers on the trial to see how effective the finger-prick blood test is at detecting Alzheimer's risk.

ReCognition Health's Dr Emer MacSweeney, a neuro-radiologist, is recruiting some of the UK volunteers.

If this is a success, it will produce a universal, accurate test that can show the presence of abnormal amyloid protein in the brain without the need for lengthy, costly investigations.

A rapidly growing field of study is using biomarkers in the blood to detect Alzheimer's risk. A blood test for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease was cleared by US regulators last year. It involves a traditional blood draw using a needle and syringe. In real-world settings, another research is currently underway in the United Kingdom investigating whether using blood tests can improve both diagnosis and treatment. The finger-prick test will have a major benefit over the finger-pick test, as it does not require refrigeration and the sample can be carried out at home and sent to a lab for analysis. There are hopes that blood tests may be used as a screening device for dementia for older adults. The investigation has so far enrolled 883 of the 1,000 participants with more than 360 completing all of the tests. This includes a mix of cognitively normal and mildly impaired individuals as well as those with early-stage Alzheimer's. At least 25% of volunteers will come from under-represented groups. In 2028, the trial is expected to conclude.

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