Australian scientists have reportedly developed a new and inexpensive blood test that could detect Alzheimer's disease decades before its appearance.
As 9news reports, a recent study led by Macquarie and Edith Cowan Universities is the first to reveal the benefits of a specific blood test.
According to the study, samples were taken from 100 Sydney volunteers over the age of 65. While they had no symptoms, one group had early signs of disease revealed in PET scans.
"It looks like these blood biomarkers are reflecting the PET scans very accurately," Dr Pratishtha Chatterjee from Macquarie University told 9News.
The promising results mean there is a real potential for early diagnosis, with experts admitting that the latest findings will have to be validated.
"It's highly sensitive once you get a biomarker that's over 90 percent, that's very promising," Associate Professor Kathryn Goozee from Sydney dementia research institute KaRA told 9News.
Currently, Alzheimer's diagnosis usually occurs after someone experiences symptoms such as persistent lapses in memory.
source: 9news.com.au
