Nobody wants to suffer from Alzheimer’s in old age. Having a healthy body, strong, with good memory in the old age certainly became the hope of almost everyone. However, who can predict the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in the elderly?
Alzheimer’s Blood Test
A study was conducted to predict symptoms of Alzheimer’s by measuring the change in protein levels in the blood, called the Neurofilament Light Chain (NFL). Researchers in the journal Nature Medicine reveal that any increase in protein levels can be an early sign of the risk of a disease.
In this case an Alzheimer’s blood test is required to determine the presence of a marker in the blood that gives an indication of the loss of nerve cells in the brain.
The chief researcher, Mathias Jucker, who is a professor of neurological cell Biology at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases also says that the more neurofilament a person has in the blood, the higher the risk of brain damage that will occur.
However, until now, there is still no effective treatment for Alzheimer’s. However, Jucker said that an Alzheimer’s blood test is a process that should be tested in a clinical study to allow researchers to monitor the effectiveness of new treatments before the patients begin to showing symptoms of Alzheimer’s by measuring how protein levels are affected.
Alzheimer’s and brain damage
In Nature Medicine’s paper, the authors reported a relationship between the NFL levels in spinal fluid with blood levels as well as an increase in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
Alzheimer’s disease is a leading cause of dementia that destroys cells and brain tissues. When brain damage is spreading, symptoms such as confusion, memory loss, and lack of cognitive ability are displayed.
These symptoms can arise and deteriorate over time and nourish the person no longer able to live independently. Several tests need to be done to ensure the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, including blood tests.
Estimates from the National Institute on Aging, likely, at least 5.5 million people with Alzheimer’s in the United States. The brain postmortem examination of people with Alzheimer’s disease also reveals three distinctive features: beta-amyloid protein plaque, tangling tau protein (the protein that makes Microtubular – part of the brain – stable), and loses the connection between brain cells.
Generally, Alzheimer’s disease attacks people aged 65 years and above. However, there is a type of disease that actually attacked early, although the occurrence rate is less frequent.
The scientists themselves have not fully understood the causes of Alzheimer’s disease, especially those forms that attack humans at a later date. The blood test is now continuously developed, trying to help early detection of Alzheimer’s disease.
However, they argue that these forms can arise from the interaction of genes, environment, and complex lifestyles.
Read also:
Brain Damage Causes and Symptoms
Important key: Beta amyloid detection
So, how can you accurately recognize the symptoms of Alzheimer’s? A study revealed that blood tests can predict whether you can develop Alzheimer’s later days.
According to research, an amyloid beta (Aβ) deposition is considered a key indicator for diagnosing whether a person can develop Alzheimer’s later days. However, detecting a beta amyloid is actually something that is difficult to do if it is only seen from a blood sample.
The research, published in the journal Nature, took blood samples from 373 people from Australia and Japan. The blood samples were then tested using mass spectrometry to look for peptides and known amino acids associated with amyloid beta.
These findings suggest that proteins found in the blood are able to predict whether a person shows symptoms of Alzheimer’s at the old age. When you know that these proteins demonstrate a tendency to develop Alzheimer’s, you can prepare it by thinking about treatment needs, health care costs, including faster social support.
Previously, beta amyloid proteins could only be detected through brain scans or taking fluid in the spine. However, this procedure is quite expensive and has a risk. With the discovery of Alzheimer’s detection through blood tests, it will be a lot more cost-effective.
However, further research is needed to confirm the accuracy of these findings.
Thank you very much for reading Alzheimer’s Blood Test, Brain Damage, and Important Key, hopefully useful.
