Blood test has potential to detect earliest signals of Alzheimer's disease - Harvard Gazette

""We used to think that PET scan detection was the earliest sign of Alzheimer's disease progression, revealing amyloid accumulation in the brain 10 to 20 years before symptoms appear. But now we are seeing that pTau217 can be detected years earlier, well before clear abnormalities appear on amyloid PET scans.""

""The new study by Yang and colleagues adds important evidence about the predictive potential of these kinds of blood tests.""

A study by Mass General Brigham indicates that plasma phosphorylated tau 217 (pTau217) can predict Alzheimer's disease progression earlier than traditional methods. The research involved 317 cognitively healthy older adults over eight years, assessing blood tests for pTau217 alongside amyloid and tau PET scans. Findings suggest that elevated pTau217 levels correlate with accelerated amyloid buildup and cognitive decline, offering a simpler, less invasive method for identifying individuals at risk for Alzheimer's disease.

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