Telegraph: Discovery paves way for blood test to predict Alzheimers disease

Scientists have suggested that levels of the protein called clusterin rise 'many years' before symptoms of Alzheimer's disease first appear.

An early test for the condition could allow those patients could have early treatment and make improvements to their lifestyle to minimise the impact of the disease.

The study, conducted by the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London, also found that very high levels of the protein may be linked with more rapid and severe memory loss.

Patient groups said the prospect of a blood test for Alzheimer's disease was the 'holy grail' for researchers in this area and the latest findings bring this a step closer.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia in Britain and affects almost 500,000 people. This is expected to double by 2050 as the population ages.

The ethics of any blood test to identify those in the very early stages of Alzheimer's disease would need to be examined carefully as there is no cure for the condition.

The researchers compared blood samples taken from 300 people with either Alzheimer's disease, mild impairment or normal brain function.

The found that clusterin levels were linked with Alzheimer's symptoms and higher levels indicated more rapid and severe memory loss and brain shrinkage as shown on brain scans.

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