Detecting Alzheimer’s Years Before Symptoms with a Blood Test

A groundbreaking new blood test for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease has arrived in Israel. This test has been added to the diagnostic criteria of the International Alzheimer’s Association due to its high level of accuracy in measuring the proteins that accumulate in the disease. The test complements the spinal fluid test that is already being performed in several hospitals in Israel, with the hope that early diagnosis can help delay the progression of the disease.

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive degenerative disease that affects about 120,000 Israelis, with symptoms including memory loss, deterioration in mental function, and damage to cognitive abilities. The disease can also lead to hypervigilance, hallucinations, and insomnia, and most patients die within 10-15 years of onset. Diagnosis is currently based on symptoms, but recent advances have introduced tests for disease proteins in both spinal fluid and blood to aid in early detection.

Recent international recommendations have highlighted the importance of early diagnosis using biomarkers and protein markers in the blood and spinal fluid. This shift towards more accurate diagnosis through biological tests is seen as a revolutionary step in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Early diagnosis could potentially allow for treatment before symptoms occur, slowing down the progression of the disease and improving patient outcomes.

Experts in the field have hailed the new criteria for diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease as groundbreaking and likely to lead to better treatment outcomes for patients. The introduction of the new blood test in Israeli hospitals marks a significant advancement in the field of Alzheimer’s research, paving the way for early detection and intervention to delay the progression of the disease and improve patient outcomes.