Montreal researchers have discovered two early plasma markers of Alzheimer’s disease that can identify it up to five years before its first manifestations.
This breakthrough, which is made by simple blood tests, could revolutionize the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, in particular by obtaining it earlier.
The two markers are found in extracellular plasma vesicles, pockets released by all cells in the body and which circulate in the blood, it was explained.
At the moment, the diagnosis can be invasive relying on psychometric tests to assess cognitive functions, brain imaging and cerebrospinal fluid analyzes, it was explained in a statement on Thursday. .
The study was led by doctoral student Mohamed Raâfet Ben Khedher and postdoctoral fellow Mohamed Haddad, who were directed by Professor Charles Ramassamy of the National Institute for Scientific Research (INRS).
“Lumbar puncture is invasive, whereas brain imaging is expensive and not 100% reliable. It is therefore difficult to do regular monitoring, ”said Professor Ramassamy.
“We have to find increasingly early markers to act as early as possible. When the disease is symptomatic, it is difficult, if not impossible, to go back, ”he added.
The results are published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions (TRCI).
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