New Dementia Research: Could a Simple Finger-Prick Blood Test Spot Alzheimer’s Early?

Scientists are exploring a groundbreaking approach in dementia research that could make Alzheimer’s diagnosis easier, cheaper and far more accessible. A major international trial called the Bio-Hermes-002 study is now underway, testing whether a simple finger-prick blood test can help detect Alzheimer’s disease before symptoms begin.

Unlike traditional diagnostic methods such as PET brain scans or lumbar punctures, which are expensive and invasive, this new blood test aims to measure biomarkers in the blood associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers hope these markers will reliably indicate the risk of developing the disease, possibly years before cognitive symptoms appear | News link

Led by the Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation® (GAP) in collaboration with organisations like LifeArc and the UK Dementia Research Institute, the Bio-Hermes-002 study is recruiting participants across the UK, USA and Canada. So far, nearly 900 of the targeted 1,000 volunteers have taken part

This research could be a major step forward in diagnosing Alzheimer’s earlier and more effectively, especially as new treatments are developed that work best in the disease’s early stages. Stay tuned as scientists analyse the results and work toward bringing this promising test into wider use.

Read more from these sources:
– Researchers to test simple finger-prick blood test to spot early signs of Alzheimer’s — Alzheimer’s Research UK
– Could Alzheimer’s be predicted with a finger-prick test? — Pharmaphorum
– Expert reaction to launch of trial to test whether a finger prick-style blood test – ScienceMediacentre.org

– National Institute for Health and Care Research – NIHR