LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — A new blood test is being called a game changer for helping diagnose Alzheimer’s.
The new FDA-approved test, known as Lumipulse, detects the pTau217/Beta Amyloid 42 amyloids plaques in the brain, a hallmark of the disease.
“The ratio of the concentration of those two proteins in blood provides a score, and based on that score can detect or probably detect whether or not someone has Alzheimer’s disease,” said Jefferson Kinney, UNLV brain health researcher.
The test is meant for adults 55 and older who are already experiencing signs of cognitive decline.
“The way it is done now they often have to wait several months before they can get in for a PET scan, this can do hundreds of blood samples per day, which means it can be turned around a lot faster,” he said.
It is not a stand-alone general screening test, but will be used alongside other clinical evaluations, such as cognitive assessments and brain imaging.
“That opens up all sorts of opportunities for how can physicians and families intervene, what can be done,” he said.
Part of the research behind its approval was conducted by leading experts in the UNLV medical school’s Pam Quirk Health and Biomarker Laboratory using their blood samples.
“It is just the start, this is the first one to be approved, what follows now is how early is it capable of detecting,” he said. “What other biomarkers coupled with this one, add to the accuracy, add to clarity, and add to insights about how to solve this disease.”
More than 7 million Americans are living with the disease, a number that is expected to double by 2050, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
The test can be ordered by any licensed health care provider. It will be available starting in August, and is expected to be covered by insurance plans including Medicare.
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