They have developed a screening technique that detects levels of the harmful proteins that build up in the brain, causing memory loss and confusion in dementia sufferers.
If the test proves accurate in larger studies, it could offer a way to identify which people experiencing memory problems are at greatest risk of developing the disease.
Brain scans can show Alzheimer’s disease ‘plaques’ – sticky clumps of a protein called beta amyloid – a decade before they cause memory and thinking problems.
However, the scans are too expensive and impractical for routine use.
The new blood test, developed at Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, measures for nine biological markers of the plaques.
In a study of more than 1,100 people, the test performed well, researcher Dr Samantha Burnham told the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in France.
They first used blood samples from 273 people to identify nine hormones and proteins that appeared to predict of amyloid levels in the brain. A cut-off level was set for what was considered high.
Dr Burnham said: 'The belief is that people above that point will go on to get Alzheimer’s disease, and the lag is about 8 to 10 years.'
Warning signs: The new blood test, developed by
Australian scientists, could identify people at greater risk of
developing Alzheimer's disease
When researchers used the nine-marker blood test on these same blood test, it correctly identified 83 per cent of people with high amyloid levels and correctly ruled out 85 per cent of people without this condition.
The test was then trialled successfully on nearly 900 more samples of blood.
CSIRO has patented the test and is talking with major companies about making it commercially available. Around 800,000 Britons suffer from forms of dementia.
The number of cases is expected to double within a generation.
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