A novel blood test that detects a key biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) could help physicians more accurately determine the presence and track disease progression.
The test measures levels of the protein MTBR-tau243 — microtubule-binding region of tau containing the residue 243 — a biomarker of tau tangles in the brain that may be a more accurate measure of tau pathology than other established biomarkers.
Investigators used the test to successfully distinguish between patients at different stages of AD progression and identify whether cognitive decline was likely due to AD or some other cause.
“This blood test clearly identifies Alzheimer’s tau tangles, which is our best biomarker measure of Alzheimer’s symptoms and dementia,” study investigator Randall J. Bateman, MD, professor of neurology at…