The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a blood test called Lumipulse to help diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. This blood test can detect abnormal clumps of protein in the brain, known as amyloid plaques, which disrupt brain cell function.
The FDA-approved test is the first to clear this diagnosis, affecting over 7 million older Americans worldwide. Traditional diagnostic methods like PET scans and spinal fluid tests are expensive and invasive, but Lumipulse requires only a blood draw for patients 55 and older showing signs of symptoms.
“Having a blood test makes it easier to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease,” said Dr. Charles Bernick, a neurologist at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. However, the FDA emphasizes that this blood test is not a screening tool and should be used in conjunction with other clinical evaluations and tests to determine treatment options.
The FDA has also approved two medications, Kisunla and Leqembi, to treat Alzheimer’s disease, which work by clearing amyloid plaques from the brain. However, these medications come with risks such as swelling and bleeding, so it is essential to confirm amyloid presence before prescribing them.
This new blood test provides a non-invasive alternative for diagnosing Alzheimer’s, particularly beneficial for people in rural areas or those who cannot access invasive tests.
Source: https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/fda-approves-alzheimers-blood-test.html