Tau tangles inside neurons and amyloid plaques between neurons are central hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. Brain scans and spinal taps detect these abnormalities but are invasive. A blood test targeting phosphorylated tau (p-tau181) offers a less invasive option and the potential to detect disease-related changes decades before symptoms arise. Screening many antibodies revealed that the left-end fragment of tau is the predominant form detectable in blood, not the central fragment targeted by spinal-fluid assays. Designing antibodies to bind that left portion enabled sensitive blood detection, overcoming early skepticism about blood-based biomarkers.
""We need to find the best ways of understanding and identifying individuals who may be at risk,""
""can provide a snapshot of what's happening in the brain, even up to 20 years before symptoms manifest""
""Everyone just went: 'No, no, no, we don't talk about it because they're too difficult to do'.""
""cracking the code""
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