The December 4, 2024 #BrainMatters webinar featured two guest speakers who delivered a great overview of the topic “Biomarkers, Blood Tests & Breakthroughs.” The speakers were Dr. Heather Snyder (Alzheimer’s Association) and Dr. Abhay Moghekar (Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center); together, they provided a highly-informative webinar with useful information about the changing landscape for early Alzheimer’s disease biomarker testing and diagnosis. Below you will find a synopsis of the webinar’s main takeaway messages, and the recording has been posted online here.
Takeaway Messages:
Overview
- The symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias typically progress over many years.
- Biomarkers are reliable indicators of health and/or the presence of disease; examples include glucose monitoring for insulin resistance/diabetes and cholesterol levels for heart disease.
- Established biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease typically measure the presence of beta-amyloid plaques or tau in the brain, the two hallmark disease-related brain changes, using cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or Positron Emission Tomography (PET) brain imaging.
- Until recently, medications for Alzheimer’s disease primarily treated dementia symptoms (e.g., mood, agitation); recently FDA-approved medications are effective at removing beta-amyloid from the brain.
- Biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease are essential for identifying individuals at the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s disease, who may be eligible for these new medications.
- Among the different types of dementias, biomarker research for Alzheimer’s disease has seen the greatest progress. Biomarker research in other types of dementia, characterized by other pathologies (e.g., Lewy bodies, Parkinson’s), is currently underway.
Blood Tests Hold Promise for Dementia Diagnosis
- Blood tests for dementia have the potential to be more affordable and more readily available than other biomarker methods (e.g., CSF, PET brain imaging), and they may serve as a screening tool in the future.
- An individual’s blood test results, along with a combination of other tools, may help provide an accurate and early dementia diagnosis. Early diagnosis may allow a person to anticipate and plan for care needs, enroll in research studies, and explore treatment options.
Note: More Research is Needed on Blood Tests for Alzheimer’s Disease
- Currently, several national labs have blood tests for Alzheimer’s disease available that specialty care providers may be able to order (but not at the primary care level yet) as part of a larger work-up; as of December, 2024, these blood tests are not yet FDA-approved. The research community is still learning how best to interpret results to accurately diagnose Alzheimer’s disease.
FYIs About Participating in Research:
- Diverse participation in research is important for helping ensure that new treatments and interventions benefit everyone.
- Research participants can choose the types of studies they want to participate in; ongoing studies include individuals with no memory problems, as well as those experiencing mild memory loss or dementia.
- Ongoing research, such as studies including biomarkers (e.g., brain imaging), helps scientists understand how memory loss and dementia develop, and discover important new ways to intervene or treat it.
- To volunteer for research, visit the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center or explore national options through TrialMatch.
Resources:
- Importance of early diagnosis
- Signs & symptoms of Alzheimer’s & dementia
- Dementia: The different types, and their causes
- National Institutes of Health report: Why diverse representation in research matters
- Overview of various factors affecting brain health
- Global Council on Brain Health
For more information, or to suggest a future webinar topic, please contact: tony.teano@jhu.edu
