The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, in collaboration with researchers from University College London and the Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center, has made a major breakthrough in the diagnosis and management of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Led by Prof. Nancy IP, the team has developed a groundbreaking blood test that boasts an impressive accuracy rate of over 96% for AD and 87% for MCI. This test is also applicable across diverse ethnic populations and is set to revolutionize the global approach to AD diagnosis and management.
Alzheimer’s disease is a debilitating condition that affects over 50 million people worldwide. The accumulation of toxic amyloid beta (Aβ) in the brain is a major hallmark of the disease, leading to the loss of brain cells and resulting in memory loss, cognitive decline, and difficulties in daily tasks and communication. The development of Lecanemab, a drug targeting mild AD-related dementia with elevated Aβ in the brain, offers new hope for individuals affected by the disease. However, the majority of people with AD or MCI remain undiagnosed and untreated due to the challenges of early diagnosis. Current methods for measuring elevated Aβ are costly and invasive, and the onset of clinical symptoms typically occurs 10-20 years after the disease has already progressed to an advanced stage. This demonstrates the urgent need for a simple blood test that can accurately identify individuals with MCI and mild AD, while also detecting elevated Aβ in the brain.
Recent findings from Prof. Nancy IP’s team demonstrate the robust performance of the blood test in distinguishing individuals with AD and MCI from cognitively normal people. In a multinational study involving individuals of Chinese and European descent, the team has shown that the test is capable of detecting brain amyloid pathology and is applicable across diverse ethnic and regional boundaries.
Unlike existing blood assays that focus on a single biomarker analysis, the HKUST-developed blood test measures the levels of 21 proteins simultaneously, revealing alterations in multiple biological pathways. This comprehensive profile allows for more accurate classification of AD and MCI, as well as close monitoring of disease progression. Prof. IP emphasizes that this innovative approach will lay the foundation for precision medicine, transforming the field of AD diagnosis and management by providing tailored treatment approaches for individual patients.
The research, published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, has already been licensed to a start-up company of HKUST, Cognitact Limited, to provide testing services to the public. The team’s commitment to expanding the scope of research to include diverse populations and collaborations with institutions worldwide demonstrates a crucial step towards making their test universally applicable for AD diagnosis.
The development of the blood test heralds a new era of simple, effective, and less invasive diagnostics for AD. This test is set to become an invaluable tool for screening individuals for specific drug treatments, closely monitoring disease progression and drug responses, and ultimately facilitating the development of personalized treatments. By shedding light on the molecular underpinnings of AD that vary from person to person and between ethnicities, this test will undoubtedly contribute to advancements in AD diagnosis and management on a global scale.
SOURCE: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
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