A new study into using blood tests to transform Alzheimer’s diagnosis is welcoming its first participants.

The ADAPT (Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosis and Plasma pTau217) study is investigating whether a blood test can improve the early and accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. It is being led by Professor Jonathan Schott and Dr Ashvini Keshavan at University College London (UCL).

The study

The trial will test if getting blood tests sooner to patients and their clinicians will improve diagnosis and treatment.

Over 1,000 people with suspected dementia will be offered a blood test for Alzheimer’s disease.

Participants will be recruited through 20 NHS memory clinics. It will include people from a diverse geographic, ethnic and economic backgrounds. It will also include those living with other health conditions, to ensure the findings are inclusive.

Researchers will investigate biomarkers. These can be proteins found in the blood. They can be used to provide evidence that a person has a disease or is at risk of developing it. 

Alzheimer’s disease is linked to the build-up of 2 key proteins in the brain called amyloid and tau. One biomarker, p-tau217, reflects the presence of both amyloid and tau in the brain.

New evidence suggests that blood tests can detect these proteins as accurately as current methods. These include amyloid PET scans and lumbar punctures.

“Timely diagnosis will be key to ensuring these advances reach the people who need them most.”

This trial is part of the Blood Biomarker Challenge. This is a multi-million-pound programme supported by Alzheimer’s Society, Alzheimer’s Research UK and players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

The blood tests will not be used on their own to diagnose Alzheimer’s, but they will be used in a wider assessment to confirm diagnosis.

Blood tests have the potential to offer less invasive and accessible alternatives to current tests for Alzheimer’s.

Professor Jonathan Schott, Professor of Neurology at University College London, and Chief Medical Officer at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “We are thrilled to welcome participants onto the ADAPT trial – a critical part of the Blood Biomarker Challenge, which we hope will take us a step forward in revolutionising the way we diagnose dementia.

“Currently only about 2% of people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s have access to one of these gold-standard diagnostic tests. While identifying Alzheimer’s disease early and accurately is already important for enabling access to current therapies and planning care, it will become even more critical as a new generation of treatments emerge that can slow down the decline of memory and thinking. Timely diagnosis will be key to ensuring these advances reach the people who need them most.”

The importance of earlier diagnosis

When Michael White, 75, who cares for his wife Kathryn, told his 25-year-old granddaughter about the diagnosis, she was not surprised. They had all known there was something serious, but Kathryn was not diagnosed for nearly 2 and a half years.

He said: “A blood test like this would have helped to make a diagnosis right at the start and would have made a real difference to us. Hopefully initiatives like the Blood Biomarker Challenge will pave the way to change for other people in the future.”

The ADAPT team will be recruiting people to the trial through memory clinics, and so unfortunately, people cannot volunteer to put themselves forward to take part in the study. If you are interested in taking part in research, sign up to Join Dementia Research today.