A new blood test may help identify Alzheimer’s disease in elderly patients.
Created by the company C2N Diagnostics, the test is available for patients 60-years-old and older in both the United States and Europe. Key test results have not been published, nor has the U.S. Food and Drug Administration given its approval, but the test may meet a need for easier diagnoses of senile dementia.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than 5 million U.S. citizens currently live with Alzheimer’s disease. “By 2050, this number is projected to rise to nearly 14 million,” the association estimates.
To be diagnosed, an individual must have a buildup of the protein beta-amyloid in their brain along with memory loss. Before the test, the most effective way to diagnose Alzheimer’s was a high-priced PET brain scan that may not be covered by insurance, according to the Associated Press. Washington University School of Medicine researchers David Holtzman and Randall Bateman founded the company behind the new test and are hoping their research can lead to a less costly but still reliable test.
The company charges individuals $1,250 for the test, and it is not covered by Medicare or insurance. However, some discounts may be given to individuals based on income.
The test “measures two types of amyloid particles plus various forms of a protein that reveal whether someone has a gene that raises risk for the disease. These factors are combined in a formula that includes age, and patients are given a score suggesting low, medium or high likelihood of having amyloid buildup in the brain.”
If the blood test puts them at a lower likelihood, Bateman says, “it’s a strong reason to look for other things” other than Alzheimer’s disease. “There are a thousand things that can cause someone to be cognitively impaired,” he continued.
Some experts have advised caution about the test, including Dr. Eliezer Masliah, neuroscience chief at the U.S. National Institute on Aging. “I would be cautious about interpreting any of these things,” Masliah said. “We’re encouraged, we’re interested, we’re funding this work, but we want to see results.”
The Alzheimer’s Association said it would not endorse the test without the FDA giving its approval.
