Quick Blood Testing for Alzheimer’s Disease is Now a Reality

A St. Louis-based company has seemingly done the impossible: create a blood test that can quickly rate the likelihood that someone has classic markers of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

The traditional methods to diagnose AD, the most common form of dementia, typically involve a combination of:

• cognitive tests,
• asking patients and loved ones their symptoms,
• psychiatric evaluations,
• brain scans,
• and other medical tests like blood and urine screens to rule out other causes.

These diagnostic methods could soon be increasingly simplified, thanks to C₂N Diagnostics and their PrecivityAD™ test.

How PrecivityAD™ Works

There are other blood tests available that can help identify alternative potential causes of someone’s cognitive decline symptoms. However, these tests don’t necessarily tell doctors how likely it is that their patients have AD.

That is where PrecivityAD™ stands apart.

This test checks for blood-based biomarkers to rate how likely someone is to have AD on a scale of 0 to 100, with a higher value indicating a higher likelihood that someone has these biomarkers. The biomarkers in question are amyloid beta 42 and 40 (which can cause amyloid plaques) and apolipoprotein E proteotype (equivalent to ApoE genotype, a genetic risk factor for AD).

What are amyloid plaques?

Amyloid plaques are traditional markers of Alzheimer’s disease that result from a buildup of beta-amyloid in the brain. Experts believe that amyloid plaques block (and potentially destroy) synaptic connections in the brain, meaning that the brain has a harder time sending signals. These plaques could also cause harmful inflammation and destroy nerve cells.

The result?

Alzheimer’s disease.

How accurate is PrecivityAD™?

Some research shows that PrecivityAD™ is roughly 81% accurate when testing for amyloid levels on a PET scan.

Where is the test available?

Launched in October 2020, this test is commercially available in all US states (except New York), plus Puerto Rico and Washington, DC. It is only available through a doctor’s orders.

The Bottom Line

This test isn’t a replacement for all other AD diagnostic tests. It can, however, complement them and make getting an accurate diagnosis that much easier. And the sooner someone has an accurate diagnosis, the sooner they can receive appropriate care, which may slow down how quickly AD progresses.

 

Disclaimers – This article is not sponsored or reviewed by C₂N. This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice; the information presented above cannot be used to diagnose, prevent, treat, or cure any condition.