Scientists Develop New Blood Test for Detecting Rare Forms of Dementia and Neurological Diseases

A team from the German Center for Dementia Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) has unveiled a breakthrough method capable of identifying rare forms of dementia and other neurological disorders using blood tests. This innovative approach can detect frontotemporal dementia (FTD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) by analyzing specific blood markers.

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Dementia

FTD, ALS, and PSP belong to a spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases that share symptoms such as dementia, behavioral changes, muscle weakness, and impaired movement.

Published in Nature Medicine, the study revolves around measuring proteins in the blood that act as biomarkers for these conditions. Collaborators from University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and other institutions in Germany and Spain contributed to the research.

Professor Anja Schneider, leading the research group at DZNE, highlighted the current lack of cures for these diseases and the challenge of diagnosing their molecular pathology without examining brain tissue post-mortem.

“Our findings demonstrate that blood tests can accurately identify PSP, behavioral variant FTD, and the majority of ALS cases, with exceptions noted for specific mutations, thereby revealing their underlying pathology,” explained Professor Schneider, who is also associated with the University of Bonn.

While initially intended for research and therapeutic development, the team anticipates that these pathology-specific biomarkers could eventually enhance diagnostic capabilities in clinical settings.

The study drew upon data and blood samples from nearly 1,000 adults across study cohorts in Germany and Spain, marking a significant advance in the quest for earlier and more precise diagnoses of these debilitating neurological conditions.