A simple blood test could be the key to early Alzheimer's diagnoses

A new innovation is ready to join the global fight against Alzheimer’s disease alongside experimental drugs and daily sudokus.

What happened: A commercially available blood test shows immense promise in catching early cases of Alzheimer’s, according to a new study. Researchers found that the test was highly accurate in detecting tau, a toxic protein in the brain linked to the disease.

• Alzheimer’s is the world’s leading cause of dementia — a catchall term for the decline of cognitive abilities — accounting for as many as 70% of global cases.

Why it matters: Early detection is key to combatting Alzheimer’s, but accurate diagnoses are made through expensive procedures like brain scans and spinal fluid tests, which are largely inaccessible. A simple blood test would significantly improve diagnosis availability.

• Early diagnoses will be even more important if and when promising new drugs that slow the progression of early-stage Alzheimer’s receive regulatory approval.

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In Canada: Early detection and treatment for dementia will be vital as the population rapidly ages. By 2050, over 1.7 million Canadians are projected to have dementia — a ~185% rise from 2020. This tragic human toll would also drain $60 billion from the economy in 2050.

Zoom out: And it’s just not just Canada’s oldest people contracting Alzheimer’s. Cases of Alzheimer’s in people under the age of 65 are on the rise, per a new report from the Alzheimer Society of Canada, with experts unsure why the spike is happening.

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