November 9, 2023

Is a blood test for diagnosing Alzheimer’s on the horizon?

The way dementia is diagnosed has barely changed for nearly two decades, and here’s the shocker: at least a third of people who develop dementia never receive a diagnosis. But with the imminent arrival of first-of-a-kind Alzheimer’s treatments, this needs to change, and rapidly. Enter blood tests that can detect Alzheimer’s faster, more affordably, and at scale, compared to PET scans and lumbar punctures. But the path to integrating these tests into the NHS is not straightforward. In this briefing, Alzheimer’s Research UK and the Alzheimer’s Society are bringing together academic and clinical experts to discuss the potential and challenges of diagnostic blood tests for the dementia field.

Speakers included:

Dr Susan Kohlhaas, Exec Director of Research & Partnerships, Alzheimer’s Research UK

Dr Fiona Carragher, Director of Research and Influencing, Alzheimer’s Society

Dr Aitana Sogorb Esteve, UK Dementia Research Institute

Dr Joanne Rodda, Consultant Psychiatrist, Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust