Blood biomarkers will become more important for diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease in the upcoming years. In a new article in the Lancet Neurology prof. Dr. Charlotte Teunissen of the Alzheimer Center Amsterdam and international colleagues, describe how this development can change dementia care.
The development of biomarkers in the blood happens quickly. For example, the p-tau217 biomarker, that can indicate characteristic changes in Alzheimer's disease, is already being introduced into clinical practice. A blood test is less invasive than an epidural and can be applied easier than, for example, a PET-scan. As a result, it may become possible in the future to investigate the underlying cause of memory complaints in many more people.
According to researchers, the role of biomarkers will expand beyond just diagnosis. They can also assist in predicting how a disease will develop, support the decision for a treatment, and can also possibly be used to track the effect of a treatment.
At the same time, more research is necessary. Dementia is often caused by different disease processes combined. Therefore, new biomarkers are required for Lewy Body pathology, TDP-43, and other forms of neurodegeneration. Researchers expect that the 'biomarker toolbox' will expand in the upcoming five to ten years and could contribute to more personalized diagnostics and treatment.
Read the full article at the Lancet Neurology.