Scientists have described a new blood test that could eventually lead to definitive and earlier diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and other types of degenerative disorders. At present, the only way to accurately diagnose Alzheimer's is through an autopsy.
German researchers joined colleagues from The Scripps Research Institute in California to study , according to Medical News Today. These are small RNA molecules that influence the manner in which genes are expressed. Scientists can locate them fairly easily in fluids like blood.
In an initial study, the researchers tested a panel of 12 miRNAs among 22 control subjects and 48 Alzheimer's patients. Subjects with dementia presented with different levels of miRNAs from those in the control group.
In a second test, the 202 subjects included healthy controls, Alzheimer's patients, and people with other neurological and neurodegenerative disorders. The new blood test was able to differentiate patients with Alzheimer's from those with normal health. It also identified other disorders.
The test scored 93 percent for accuracy, 95 percent for sensitivity (correctly finding subjects with the disease), and 92 percent for specificity (identifying those without the illness). The researchers published their findings in the journal Genome Biology.
Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia. The Alzheimer's Association reports that more thanare living with the disorder, the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. Estimates suggest that in 2013, the disease will cost the country $203 billion, a figure expected to soar to $1.2 trillion by 2050.
There is no cure for Alzheimer's. According to PubMedHealth,include slowing the progression of the disorder, managing physical and behavioral symptoms, making the home environment more conducive to performing daily routines, and supporting family and caregivers.
The researchers readily acknowledge the need for clinical trials. They suspect that the test will work best when used with other traditional diagnostic tools like radiologic imaging.
Because some patients who have symptoms resembling those of Alzheimer's actually have other neurological disorders, the team searched for the miRNA signature in other groups of patients. While they chose the original 12 miRNAs because they could distinguish between Alzheimer's and controls, the same 12 demonstrated greater than 95 percent accuracy in separating control subjects from those with psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and depression.
The test also had an accuracy rate of around 75 percent for distinguishing between subjects with Alzheimer's and those suffering from other neurodegenerative disorders. Researchers believe this figure could rise by refining the selection of the miRNAs utilized in the test.
Prior studies have suggested that miRNAs could be biomarkers for a number of diseases, including types of cancer. The team noted that two of the miRNAs used in the new blood test have been linked to amyloid precursor processing, which is important in the production of the plaques associated with Alzheimer's.
Vonda J. Sines has published thousands of print and online health and medical articles. She specializes in diseases and other conditions that affect the quality of life.
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