Brain biomarkers for Alzheimer's can be detected in middle age
As the world’s population ages, Alzheimer’s disease is becoming more common, with symptoms beginning years or even decades before any decline in cognitive functions becomes apparent. Now, a study conducted at Finland’s University of Turku has found that even middle-aged individuals can have high levels of blood-based biomarkers associated with Alzheimer’s disease — and the levels are higher with increasing age.
Recently, it has become possible to identify brain biomarkers associated with Alzheimer’s disease through a blood sample, which should in future offer a cost-effective method for identifying those at greatest risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and prioritising them for preventive treatments. But until now, brain biomarkers associated with Alzheimer’s disease have mainly been studied in older individuals. The new study, published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity, provides insights into biomarker levels and associated factors starting from middle age.
As part of the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study, biomarkers associated with Alzheimer’s disease were measured from blood samples of middle-aged participants (aged 41–56) and their parents (aged 59–90), with a total sample size of 2051 individuals. A key finding was that a high biomarker concentration in the parent, particularly the mother, may be associated with higher biomarker levels in the middle-aged offspring.
The researchers additionally found that kidney disease may be linked to higher levels of biomarkers in middle age. The APOE ε4 gene, which increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, was meanwhile associated with higher blood-based biomarker levels in older age, but not yet in middle age.
The researchers emphasised that it is not yet possible to definitively diagnose Alzheimer’s disease with a blood sample, as the method is still limited by the lack of well-known reference values. Additionally, it remains unclear which confounding factors influence biomarker concentrations in blood related to Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, the interpretations of the biomarkers obtained from blood sample could lead to misdiagnosis.
“In order to reliably use blood-based biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis in the future, more research is needed across different population and age groups to standardise reference values,” concluded study leader Suvi Rovio.
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