Researchers are a step closer to developing a simple blood test to identify whether a person is at risk of developing dementia, a new report says.
According to the study, Danish researchers have identified a new biomarker that could be used in such a test, which they hope could pave the way for new ways to diagnose, treat, and even prevent the deadly disorder.
Globally, about 35 million people, including five million Americans, suffer from dementia, which robs them of their ability to perform daily functions and ultimately leads to death.
A healthy brain consists of millions of interconnected nerve cells. The brain of a person suffering dementia is very different, with nerve cells intersected by what is known as beta-amyloid plaques.
The researchers looked at 76,000 people and found those with a low level of apolipoprotein E in the blood were at increased risk of developing dementia. They believe that apolipoprotein E helps remove dementia-causing beta-amyloid.
The study is published in Annals of Neurology.
Scientists hope their discovery will pave the way for a blood test to identify at-risk individuals in much the same way that high blood cholesterol predicts heart attack risk.
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