2024-02-14 15:47:02
The earlier dementia is detected, the better the chances of treatment. Researchers have now apparently gained important insights.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of people suffering from dementia will increase significantly worldwide in the coming years. The organization expects up to 82 million people to be affected by 2030 and up to 152 million by 2050. In order to better treat the disease, early diagnosis is crucial.
Detect dementia early – through a blood test?
For this reason, research has been carried out for some time on blood tests that are intended to announce impending dementia years before the first symptoms appear. Even before the brain cells decay and the first signs such as forgetfulness and confusion appear, a number of proteins are released that enter the blood and can be detected. Scientists hope that an increase in certain proteins could predict dementia.
A research team from the University of Warwick in Great Britain and Fudan University in Shanghai has now apparently succeeded in proving this. The largest study to date on this topic was recently published in the English-language journal “Nature Aging”. In it, the researchers report that certain proteins in the blood could indicate whether people will develop dementia – many years before they actually do.
Proteins in the blood that indicate dementia 15 years in advance
For their study, they examined blood samples from around 54,000 healthy Brits and monitored them over 14 years. The result was that some markers in the blood changed when a dementia diagnosis was made later – and at least ten years beforehand. 1,417 participants received this diagnosis over the study period, while 52,645 remained healthy.
By combining the biomarkers with other risk factors such as age, gender, level of education and genetic factors, the researchers achieved a prediction accuracy of over 90 percent. “Our findings have important implications for early detection and interventions in dementia,” writes the University of Warwick team. Thanks to the new findings, the risk of developing an illness can be predicted up to 15 years in advance.
Recognize dementia
There are various signs by which relatives and those affected can recognize dementia, including: forgetfulness, confusion, disorientation in time and space, language problems, mood swings and listlessness.
This is what experts say about the study results
According to “Ärzteblatt”, independent British experts also rated the new results as positive. The study adds to a growing number of studies that point in the same direction, says Sheona Scales, head of research at the Alzheimer’s Research UK Foundation. Such blood tests are “promising” – but further investigations are necessary before they can be used.
However, the new findings could then help in researching future dementia blood tests and also medications against the disease.