Development of a blood test for early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease

  Large research teams from many Korean institutions have developed a new blood test that can detect patients with Alzheimer's disease early before the onset of symptoms. In this paper published in the journal Science Advances, the research team described the research and technology developed to detect this disease. Alzheimer's disease is a progressive disease, accompanied by brain neuron degeneration, which can cause a variety of symptoms, especially memory loss. It cannot be cured, and the tortured person will eventually die. Scientists have been studying Alzheimer's disease for many years and have learned about the phenomenon that occurs in the brains of such patients, namely the accumulation of amyloid beta peptide (Aβ).

  Research on possible treatments is still in progress, but people are trying to find a way to diagnose the disease before it appears. Previous studies have shown that Aβ can enter the bloodstream from the brain. This suggests that blood tests may be a way to detect this disease. Unfortunately, this idea did not succeed because it was impossible to determine whether the Aβ level in the blood could reflect the onset of Alzheimer's disease. In this new study, the researchers believe that they have found a way to change Aβ in blood samples to reveal the presence of Aβ. The researchers found that when small molecules called EPPS are added to a solution containing a certain concentration of Aβ, these molecules force them to separate. This gave them an idea: take a broken sample from a patient diagnosed with the disease and compare it with a control to see if there is a difference. Researchers report that they can reliably distinguish between confirmed and control patients. They also showed that the technology can be used as a way to monitor disease progression. According to reports, they plan to let doctors use their technology in clinical practice.