Biomedical scientists working on Alzheimer's test
Friday 9th July 2010
A new test which could help diagnose Alzheimer's disease up to ten years before symptoms show is under development in the UK.
Scientists at King's College London are working on the 'holy grail' of dementia research, as patients are currently tested through memory tests and brain scans and Alzheimer's can only be determined fully after death.
Studies by the researchers have discovered that a blood protein called clusterin, which contributes to the shrinking of the brain, appears years before the first symptoms of Alzheimer's do.
Dr Madhav Thambisetty, who is working on the project, said: "Identifying clusterin as a blood biomarker that may be relevant to both the pathology and symptoms of the disease may bring us closer to [developing a test]."
Early symptoms of Alzheimer's include minor memory problems and difficulty saying the right words, while personality changes and general confusion can occur as the disease progresses, according to the NHS.
Written by Angela Newbury
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