It’s only a matter of time before biomarker blood testing will be used to detect Alzheimer’s disease. Now that there are new treatments, researchers say having a fast and accurate diagnosis is critical, but there are factors that still need to be considered.
Having an easy blood test would be game changing for people experiencing signs of cognitive impairment. Right now, the only way to confirm an Alzheimer’s diagnosis is with a costly PET scan or an invasive spinal puncture.
But in a recent article by researchers at the Regenstrief Institute, they point out that there are other factors that should be considered before mass deployment of a biomarker blood test. They note that much of the blood-based biomarker testing has been done in relatively healthy, higher educated participants.
So understanding how chronic conditions, as well as gender and race, could play a role in the results is needed. The researchers also say that policies have to be developed to protect patients who have a positive result
