British researchers are working on a new method of diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease in its early stages.
The team, from Nottingham’s two universities, are hoping to develop a blood test to detect "biomarkers" for the disease. To help them do so, they have been awarded 200,000 UK pounds from the Alzheimer’s Research Trust.
Professor Kevin Morgan of the University of Nottingham explained: "A reliable, accurate test to identify affected individuals would mean future treatments could be given much earlier when drugs are likely to be most effective.
"It would also give people with dementia and their families more time to prepare and plan for the future."
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, yet its clinical diagnosis is not straightforward. A delay in diagnosis can cause irreversible brain damage to take place. Therefore, beginning treatment as early as possible is crucial.
Blood biomarkers, which can include proteins and molecules, could help speed up diagnosis. In this research, blood from Alzheimer’s disease patients will be compared to blood from a group of healthy older people, to indentify potential biomarkers.
Samples will be collected from all over the UK and other EU countries, to be analysed in Nottingham with cutting-edge technology.
Rebecca Wood of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust said: "We are delighted to be funding what could be a breakthrough study in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s.
"There are 700,000 people in the UK with dementia and this number is expected to double within a generation. We desperately need to fund research looking at different ways to tackle this devastating disease."
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