The Latest Medical News

A Summary of The Latest Medical News: # New Blood Test for Alzheimer's Could Revolutionize Diagnosis and Treatment Planning In a groundbreaking development for Alzheimer's disease management, researchers have created a blood test that not only aids in diagnosis but also reveals how far the disease has progressed in patients. This innovative approach could transform how doctors treat this devastating neurodegenerative condition. Developed by scientists at WashU Medicine in St. Louis, this highly accurate blood test focuses on a protein called MTBR-tau243, which the research team had previously identified as a potential biomarker for tau tangles in Alzheimer's disease[1][2]. "MTBR-tau243 is a chipped (off) piece of the protein in Alzheimer's tau tangles," explained Dr. Randall J. Bateman, the Charles F. and Joanne Knight Distinguished Professor of Neurology at WashU Medicine and co-senior author of this study. "The blood test measures this piece of tau tangles in the blood as a measure of how many tangles are in the brain."[2] The significance of this test lies in its ability to track disease progression, which has previously required expensive and time-consuming PET brain scans. While these scans remain the gold standard for staging Alzheimer's disease, they are not widely accessible outside major research centers[1]. Alzheimer's disease involves a build-up of amyloid protein into plaques in the brain, followed by the development of tangles of tau protein years later. Cognitive symptoms typically emerge around the time tau tangles become detectable, with symptoms worsening as the tangles spread throughout the brain[1]. Prior to this development, Dr. Bateman's team had already created two blood tests that correlate closely with amyloid plaques in the brain, but until now, there had been no blood test that could effectively report on tau levels[1]. This new blood test builds on previous research published in August 2023, where the same team showed that cerebrospinal fluid levels of MTBR-tau243 correlate closely with tau tangles in the brain. The current study extended this analysis to blood samples, which are much easier to collect than cerebrospinal fluid obtained via spinal tap[1][2]. In related developments, Quest Diagnostics recently launched their AD-Detect™ Blood Test to aid in confirming Alzheimer's Disease, announced during an oral presentation at the 2025 AAN Annual Meeting[3]. The search for better biomarkers continues across the field. NIH-funded researchers recently uncovered another biomarker that may help predict cognitive decline in Alzheimer's patients. Their study analyzed cerebrospinal fluid samples from about 3,400 people, measuring levels of more than 7,000 proteins to find new indicators that might explain differences in cognitive impairments among people with Alzheimer's disease[4]. These developments collectively represent significant progress in making Alzheimer's diagnosis more accessible while providing clinicians with critical information about disease staging, potentially allowing for more personalized treatment approaches for those affected by this challenging condition. Help with your insurance? https://tally.so/r/n012P9