Blood Test Shows Promise asโ Alzheimer’s diagnostic Toolโ in Brazil
SรO PAULO – Aโค new blood test demonstrates a highโ degree of accuracyโข in diagnosing Alzheimer’sโค disease within the Brazilian population, perhaps โrevolutionizing early detection and access to care, according to recent findings. The test correctly identified 86.5% of cases, meaning onlyโข 13.5% โof patients would require further โconfirmatory testing.
Currently, diagnosing Alzheimer’s relies on more expensive and less accessible methods like PET scans, wich canโ cost around R$10,000. the new blood test is projected toโ cost approximately R$800, significantly lowering the barrier toโ diagnosis.While not yet a complete replacement for โexisting “gold standard”โค tests, researchers believe the blood test’s accuracy may improve to the point of becoming theโ primary diagnostic method in the coming years.
“today,it โis indeed not possible to โsay with certainty that the blood test will replace the other gold standard tests,butโฃ it might potentially be thatโฃ in a few years it โwill,” stated the scientist involved in the research. The ultimateโฃ goal is to develop a fully Brazilian blood โคtest technology withโ comparable performance to further reduce โคcostsโค andโฃ increase accessibility.
Early and accurate diagnosis is crucial as new therapies emerge. Although a cure remains elusive, โฃmedications are now available that can slow the accumulation of proteinโค plaques in the brain – โanti-amyloid therapies – but are most effective when administered in the initial stages of the disease.
Beyond medical intervention, โขlifestyle factors play a meaningful role in Alzheimer’s prevention. Modifiable risk factors like low education,โฃ aโค sedentaryโฃ lifestyle, excessive alcohol consumption, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity should be โคaddressed.Studies suggest thatโฃ effectively treating high LDL cholesterol, for example, could prevent up to 7%โ of dementia casesโ globally.
