HUNDREDS of Brits will now be offered a blood test for Alzheimer’s from their GP as part of a “landmark” study.

The project aims to explore how blood tests could speed up the diagnosis time of the disease.

Hundreds of Brits are now able to access a blood test for Alzheimer’s from their GP Credit: Getty

The project aims to explore how blood tests could speed up diagnosis of the disease Credit: Getty

Up to 500 patients who are suspected of having Alzheimer’s will be referred for a test.

The study – which is called Bringing Alzheimer’s Disease Biomarkers to General Practice (BriDGe) and is led by Scottish Brain Sciences – is taking place in central and northern Scotland, with more than 50 GPs involved.

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Along with speeding up diagnosis time, the study also aims to help GPs decide on the best care for their patients and give people earlier access to support and treatment.

Professor Craig Ritchie, chief investigator of the BriDGe project and chief executive and founder at Scottish Brain Sciences, described blood tests for Alzheimer’s as “one of the most exciting developments in dementia research in a generation”.

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This project could “transform the way we detect, diagnose and ultimately treat Alzheimer’s disease”, he added.

Over 980,000 people are thought to be living with dementia in the UK, with the number predicted to rise to over 1.4 million by 2040.

Dementia is the name for a group of symptoms associated with an ongoing decline in brain functioning.

It can affect memory, thinking skills and other mental abilities.

According to the NHS, Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia in the UK.

In Scotland, there are around 90,000 people living with dementia, some 3,000 of whom are younger than 65.

More than 980,000 people are thought to be living with dementia in the UK Credit: Getty

The early stages of dementia

DEMENTIA is not a single condition. It is caused by different physical diseases of the brain – like Alzheimer’s, vascular dementia and DLB.
More than 944,000 people in the UK currently have it. And no matter the type, it affects everyone differently.
The first signs of it are often mild and easy to brush off, but can include:

Memory problems (e.g. being unable to recall recent events or losing keys)
Planning and thinking difficulties (e.g. finding complex decisions about finances hard)
Language and communication trouble (e.g. struggling to find the right word)
Poor orientation (e.g. getting lost easily in familiar areas)
Visual-perceptual difficulties (e.g. problems judging distances)
Changes in mood or emotion (e.g. feeling anxious or frightened or getting easily upset)

“Many people at the early stage of dementia stay largely independent and only need a bit of assistance with daily living,” Alzheimer’s UK says.
“It is important to focus on what the person can do and not to take over and do things for them.
“Instead, try doing things with them, for example helping the person develop a routine, reminder lists and prompts, and use technology.”
Because dementia is progressive, it gets worse over time, usually over several years. Experts generally think of it in three stages:

Early stage (mild)
Middle stage (moderate)
Late stage (severe)

“These stages can be used to understand how dementia is likely to change over time, and to help people prepare for the future,” the charity adds.
“The stages also act as a guide to when certain treatments, such as medicines for Alzheimer’s disease, are likely to work best.”
Most people who develop dementia are over the age of 65. Anyone diagnosed before this is considered to have young-onset dementia, which affects about 70,800 people in the UK. 

This project is reportedly the largest UK study of Alzheimer’s blood tests in general practice.

It aims to build GP experience and confidence in using the new tests, while also assessing their value at the earliest stages of disease progression.

Quicker, more accurate information could make the greatest difference for patients and their families.

The blood tests being used are known as p-tau181 and p-tau217 – biomarkers found in the blood that reflect changes in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s.

International research has shown that these proteins may detect or rule out the condition earlier and more accurately than many existing memory tests or scans.

Explaining the process, Tara Spires-Jones, professor of neurodegeneration at the University of Edinburgh, said: “Elevated levels of the protein pTau in blood indicate that people have Alzheimer’s disease-associated pathology in their brains.

“While not everyone with this pathology will go on to develop dementia, people with cognitive symptoms and a positive blood test are likely in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, meaning this test will help with diagnosis.”

And reacting to the news, Dr Sheelagh Harwell, senior associate GP at GP-Plus in Edinburgh and one of the medics participating in the study, said: “The BriDGe study heralds an exciting time in general practice as new diagnostic blood tests become available.

“An earlier diagnosis of Alzheimer’s can aid patients with lifestyle modifications, allow them to access support sooner, and plan ahead.”