The Neurochemistry Lab of Amsterdam UMC and Alzheimercentrum Amsterdam have developed a new method to interpret the results of an Alzheimer's blood test. This method is now being tested in practice, so that in the future, doctors may need to perform fewer spinal taps or brain scans to diagnose Alzheimer's disease. The research, led by Inge Verberk and Charlotte Teunissen, has been published in the journal Alzheimer & Dementia.
When people visit the memory clinic at Alzheimercentrum Amsterdam, they undergo various tests. One of these is a spinal tap to collect cerebrospinal fluid, which is used to measure proteins that aid in diagnosing Alzheimer's disease. Sometimes an amyloid PET scan is performed, a brain scan that makes the Alzheimer's protein in the brain visible. These methods are either invasive or expensive. A blood test is a simpler and more affordable alternative.
New method
Thanks to improved laboratory equipment, Alzheimer's proteins can now be accurately measured in the blood. Currently, researchers measure four specific proteins, which together form the Alzheimer's blood test. However, interpreting the results of these four proteins collectively can be challenging. To address this, the Neurochemistry Lab has developed a method for interpretation. This method consists of two simple graphs that help doctors view and interpret the results.
A clear interpretation method is important to bring the Alzheimer's blood test from the lab to the clinic. At the moment, the blood test, along with the interpretation method, is being tested weekly on new patients. The ultimate goal is to make the Alzheimer's blood test the standard test at the memory clinic, so that spinal taps or PET scans will only be performed when results are inconclusive in diagnosing Alzheimer's disease.
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