A broader panel of protein markers could lead to better blood tests for Alzheimer's
· Medical Xpressedited by Lisa Lock, reviewed by Robert Egan
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In Alzheimer's disease, amyloid plaques form in the brain, followed by threadlike structures made of the protein tau. Both changes have toxic effects on the brain's nerve cells years before dementia symptoms appear. Historically, diagnosis has primarily relied on cognitive changes, which manifest at a later stage of the disease. Biomarker-based diagnostics were initially limited to specialized clinics capable of performing cerebrospinal fluid sampling or PET scans.
New blood-based tests, such as p-tau217, have improved accessibility. However, their ability to determine the disease stage and predict disease progression remains limited, especially compared with PET scans.
Significantly better capability
In a new study published in the journal JAMA Neurology, researchers at the University of Gothenburg and their colleagues investigated whether applying machine learning to blood proteomics data—large-scale information on all proteins in the blood—could identify new biomarker profiles to improve the assessment of disease stage.
The researchers used two independent international cohorts with data from a novel immunoassay platform that measures more than 120 inflammation and neuronal markers in a single blood sample.
The study results show that including additional proteins significantly improved the ability of p-tau217 to predict advanced tau pathology in individuals with elevated levels of amyloid plaques.
Treatment choices and research
According to the researchers, the results indicate that a multiprotein-based approach could be a viable alternative to staging via tau-PET in clinical or research settings.
"We identified a panel of seven proteins, including p-tau217, that could improve the blood test's ability to determine when a patient exhibits a disease profile corresponding to a late stage. This could yield better screening results, which is particularly valuable for guiding treatment choices and recruitment for clinical trials of future treatments for Alzheimer's disease," said Guglielmo Di Molfetta, a doctoral student in neurochemistry at the University of Gothenburg.
Publication details
Guglielmo Di Molfetta et al, Plasma Biomarkers for Neocortical Tau Burden, JAMA Neurology (2026). DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2026.2650
Journal information: Archives of Neurology
Key medical concepts
Alzheimer's DiseaseNeuritic Plaque
Clinical categories
NeurologyLaboratory medicine Provided by University of Gothenburg Who's behind this story?
Lisa Lock
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