Groundbreaking test discovered! Detects senile disease in middle age
A blood test has been developed that can detect the first signs of Alzheimer's disease before memory problems appear. A large-scale study conducted in Finland suggests this test could enable early diagnosis in individuals at risk of the disease.
A long-term study titled "Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns" found elevated levels of brain biomarkers associated with Alzheimer's disease in the blood of individuals aged 41 to 56. This finding suggests that biological changes associated with the disease may begin decades before symptoms appear.
SYMPTOMS MAY BE HEREDITEDThe study, which included 2,051 people in total, included 1,237 middle-aged adults and their 814 parents. The research was conducted by experts at the University of Turku and published in the respected scientific journal The Lancet Healthy Longevity.
The researchers also noted that biomarker levels may be heritable. They noted that mothers' biomarker levels, in particular, may be associated with similar patterns in their children. This offers important clues about how Alzheimer's disease may be linked to genetic predisposition.
IT CAN NOW BE MEASURED WITH BLOOD SAMPLESSuvi Rovio, a senior researcher at the University of Turku's Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine Research Center, noted that while Alzheimer's biomarkers are currently usually identified through brain imaging or cerebrospinal fluid samples, these indicators can now be measured with blood samples thanks to newly developed ultrasensitive technologies.
According to Rovio, while this development offers great potential for Alzheimer's diagnosis, it is not yet ready for use as a clinical diagnostic tool. Therefore, further research is needed across different age groups and populations, and reference values are standardized.
The study also found that certain factors, such as older age and kidney disease, were linked to higher biomarker levels even before memory problems began.
SOME SYMPTOMS DO NOT APPEAR IN INDIVIDUALS UNDER 60 YEARS OF AGEHigher biomarker levels were also observed in older individuals with the APOE ε4 gene, a known genetic risk factor. However, the researchers emphasized that the effect of this gene has not yet been revealed in individuals under 60.
Marja Heiskanen, another senior researcher involved in the project, said the findings provide new and valuable insights into brain health from middle age onward. She noted that while biomarkers have been studied primarily in older individuals, this study fills a significant gap by focusing on changes in earlier stages.
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