New blood test from Proteome Sciences to identify Alzheimers disease

Proteome Sciences announced publication of a study it has co-authored with King�s College London in which a set of 10 proteins in the blood have been identified which can predict the onset of Alzheimer�s disease. The study which analysed over 1,000 individuals is the largest of its kind to date and marks a significant step towards developing a blood test for the disease.

The researchers used data from three international studies. Blood samples from a total of 1,148 individuals (476 with Alzheimer�s disease; 220 with �Mild Cognitive Impairment� (MCI) and 452 elderly controls without dementia) were analysed for 26 proteins previously shown to be associated with Alzheimer�s disease. A sub-group of 476 individuals across all three groups also had an MRI brain scan. Researchers identified 16 of these 26 proteins to be strongly associated with brain shrinkage in either MCI or Alzheimer�s. They then ran a second series of tests to establish which of these proteins could predict the progression from MCI to Alzheimer�s. They identified a combination of 10 proteins capable of predicting whether individuals with MCI would develop Alzheimer�s disease within a year, with an accuracy of 87 percent.

There are currently no effective long-lasting drug treatments for Alzheimer�s, and it is believed that many new clinical trials fail because drugs are given too late in the disease process. A blood test could be used to identify patients in the early stages of memory loss for clinical trials to find drugs to halt the progression of the disease.