A blood test is capable of establishing a highly accurate diagnosis of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects neurons in the brain and spinal cord.
ALS is a disease that causes gradual paralysis, ultimately resulting in the inability to walk, speak or, in later stages, to move. Currently, diagnosis is based on a thorough clinical examination, but it can sometimes take up to 12 months to establish a definitive diagnosis, resulting in many countries arriving with the disease already in an advanced stage. In addition, misdiagnosis rates vary widely and occur in up to 68% of cases, further complicating timely and accurate treatment.
The study is published in the journal ‘Brain Communications‘.
The new test, developed in the laboratory Brain Chemistry Labs en Jackson Holerequires only a simple blood draw and is based on small nucleic acid sequences, known as microRNAs, extracted from small vesicles released by the brain and nervous system.
Analysis of microRNA sequences from hundreds of patient samples allowed researchers to develop a “ALS fingerprint» unique comprising eight distinct microRNA sequences.
These sequences can sensitively and specifically distinguish blood samples from ALS patients from healthy controls and from patients with conditions that mimic early-stage ALS, with an overall accuracy of up to 98%.
Scientists hope the test will become a tool to help neurologists make faster diagnoses.
“Rapid diagnosis will allow treatment to begin earlier, leading to better outcomes for ALS patients,” said Sandra Banack, a scientist in the Brain Chemistry Labs and lead author of the paper.
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