IDENTIFYING ALZHEIMER'S : FROM JUST ONE BLOOD DRAW

We all might have heard about the Alzheimer's disease at-least once in our life. Alzheimer's disease is a disorder which affects our memory and cognitive functioning. Alzheimer's disease is caused by the buildup of amyloid plaques in our brain. 

How did we find it?

Alzheimer's disease were found through PET scans (positron emission tomography), MRI scans, CSF tests (cerebrospinal fluid analysis). That was until now, Dr. Gregg Day figured out that a simple blood draw could find out whether a person was suffering from Alzheimer's or not. He published his study in the Alzheimer's & Dementia journal.

How does this blood draw find it?

From the blood draw, they look for two specific proteins - amyloid beta 42/40 and p-tau 217. These two proteins help in the build up of amyloid plaques.

How accurate is this test?

It is 95% sensitive, meaning it can identify accurately people who have Alzheimer's disease 95% of the time. It is also 82% specific, meaning it can accurately rule out people who don't have Alzheimer's disease.

The blood test is no longer just theory as the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has approved the blood test which means that it can be put to practice in local clinics.

This study was conducted on over 450 real patients in a memory clinic, which proves that this is not just a controlled experiment but an actual diagnosis done on day to day basis.

How important this discovery is?

Since the test is cheap, now people living in the rural areas can afford to do these tests and discover if they have Alzheimer's or not. Early diagnosis = early prevention. 

Cost Analysis

PET scan - 1.5 to 3.5 lakhs

MRI scan - 40,000 to 1.2 lakhs

CSF test - 80,000 to 1.6 lakhs

Now the blood test will cost only 33,000 to 44,000 rupees. This amount would further decrease on wider adoption. In case of wide spread adoption, the cost will be around 8,000 to 20,000 rupees.

My Takeaway

This discovery is a groundbreaking one as this test will help us identify Alzheimer's on an early stage and the cost of this test is comparatively low and affordable.