A new blood test procedure was developed by researcher that can predict Alzheimer's with a 90 percent accuracy rate. This finding can potentially offer cheaper and faster means of being tested for this cognitive disease.
Researchers from Georgetown University Medical Center, led by neurologist Dr. Howard Federoff, have initiated another study that they believe is a potential game-changer. They recruited hundreds of healthy seniors as participants and analyzed the fats on their blood.
After the five-year follow-up period, 28 of the participants were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. They then reviewed the blood of these seniors and identified 10 lipids that were lower than those who did not develop the cognitive disease.
"This is a potential game-changer," said Dr. Federoff, to CNN. "My level of enthusiasm is very high."
They then took blood tests from other 54 Alzheimer's patients and compared their lipids to the study participants. Surprisingly, 90 percent of them showed low levels of the 10 lipids.
The researchers plan to continue their study and test if the same results will show for those below 50 years old. If successful, other researches can focus more on the development of medicines and treatments for this cognitive disease.
Alzheimer's disease has remained as the sixth leading cause of death in the United States affecting more than five million people in the country. The Alzheimer's Association predicted that this will increase to 7.1 million by 2025 and 13.8 million by 2050.
To date, there is no certain way yet to predict and treat this cognitive disease despite multiple studies done. In fact, the Obama administration has increased the funding for these studies by $156 million to find an answer by 2025. If no cure will be developed by 2050, it is forecasted to cost the government about $1.2 trillion.
This study was published in the March 9 issue of Nature Medicine.
