Blood Test Reveals Early Alzheimer's Signs in Middle Age

A Finnish population study reveals that signs related to Alzheimer's disease may be present in the brain in middle age. Blood-based biomarkers associated with Alzheimer's disease could enable earlier detection of the disease in the future, allowing targeted preventive treatment at the mild stage.

As the population ages, Alzheimer's disease and other dementing diseases are on the rise. Disease processes leading to symptoms start years before cognitive decline becomes noticeable.

A study at the University of Turku in Finland found high levels of blood-based biomarkers associated with Alzheimer's disease in middle-aged individuals, increasing with age. High biomarker levels in parents, especially mothers, may be linked to elevated levels in middle-aged offspring. Kidney disease could also be associated with higher biomarker levels in middle age.

The APOE ε4 gene, linked to Alzheimer's disease risk, was associated with higher blood-based biomarker levels in older age but not yet in middle age.

Identifying Alzheimer's disease biomarkers through a blood sample has become possible. This method could help identify those at high risk of Alzheimer's disease for prioritized preventive treatments.

Senior Researcher Suvi Rovio from the University of Turku emphasizes the need for more research to standardize reference values for blood-based Alzheimer's disease biomarkers.

The study measured biomarkers in blood samples from middle-aged participants (aged 41-56) and their parents (aged 59-90), totaling 2,051 individuals.

The study offers new insights into Alzheimer's disease biomarkers starting from middle age, a departure from previous focus on older individuals.

The research is part of the national Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study led by the University of Turku in Finland and published in Lancet Healthy Longevity.

According to the source: News-Medical.