Jan 06, 2026
3 min read
In the future, a simple blood test will be able to detect Alzheimer's disease in its early stages - from the comfort of your own home.Scientists are talking about a breakthrough.
Millions of Affected Researchers Celebrate Breakthrough in Alzheimer's Research
In the future,A simple blood test can detect Alzheimer's disease in its early stages from the comfort of your home.Researchers are talking about a breakthrough.
Alzheimer's is often diagnosed late.Usually, only when the affected person already shows clear symptoms.Preventive lifestyle changes or drugs such as lecanimab and danimab are no longer effective.
An international research team wants to change that: with a new blood test that can be done from a drop of blood from the finger - without a visit to the clinic and laboratory staff.The results of this study have the potential to revolutionize Alzheimer's disease research, the scientists wrote.The study was recently published in the journal Nature Medicine.
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Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia.It accounts for up to 70 percent of all dementia cases.Alzheimer's is a slowly progressive neurological disease characterized by the progressive loss of nerve cells in the brain.Results range from memory loss to disorientation and personality changes.Learn more about Alzheimer's dementia symptoms over time here.
A simple blood test at home instead of a complicated brain scan
The problem: Until now, changes in the brain typical of Alzheimer's disease can only be detected after a lot of work - for example, through a cerebrospinal fluid test or an expensive brain scan.It is now easier to do a blood test that detects so-called biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease.However, until now these tests have also relied on blood from a vein, which must be cooled and processed by trained personnel.This greatly limits their use, especially in rural or developing countries.
The so-called Drop Ad project is launched.Researchers from seven European clinics, including the University of Exeter in the UK and the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, investigated whether Alzheimer's biomarkers could also be detected in a single drop of dried blood from a finger.
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For the study, scientists examined 337 participants. They pricked the blood with their fingertips, dried it on a special paper strip, and then analyzed it for certain proteins, called biomarkers. Of particular concern: phosphorylated tau (p-tau217), a characteristic brain change typical of Alzheimer's disease. At the same time, they analyzed classic blood samples from veins.
Here are the results:
- Accurately detected biomarkers: p-tau217 values obtained from dried finger blood closely matched those of classic venous blood. In 86 percent of cases, the new test was able to correctly predict typical Alzheimer's disease changes.Two other biomarkers, GFAP (a marker of inflammatory reactions in the brain) and NfL (a marker of neuronal damage), were also reliably detected.
- The test is easy to perform: after the instructions, participants can take their finger prick samples.The samples can then be sent to the laboratory without refrigeration or pre-treatment.
"This advance has the potential to fundamentally change the way Alzheimer's disease is studied by demonstrating that the same biomarkers used by doctors can be measured with a simple finger prick at home or in a remote location," study leader Nicholas Ashton, head of Banner's Fluid Biomarker Program, said in a statement.
This is an important step toward better treating Alzheimer's patients before symptoms appear, he explains.The earlier Alzheimer's disease is detected, the easier it is to influence its progression with medications and lifestyle changes.
Incidence of dementia and Alzheimer's disease
The number of people with dementia continues to rise.According to the World Health Organization, more than 57 million people worldwide suffer from dementia.About ten million new ones are added every year.Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, accounting for 70% of all diseases.Without progress in treatment and prevention, by 2030about 78 million will be affected
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A paradigm shift in research
The trial is an important benchmark for research because it facilitates participation in Alzheimer's research programs, particularly in remote areas and in previously underrepresented populations.
Anne Corbett, a dementia researcher at the University of Exeter, writes: "We are moving towards a future where everyone, everywhere, can help develop our understanding of brain diseases. This is not just a technical advance – it is a paradigm shift in the way we do neuroscience research."
But this is not enough.According to the study's author, the method also offers interesting applications in research outside of Alzheimer's disease, such as in studies of Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and traumatic brain injury.NfL can be detected and is an important biomarker for these neurodegenerative diseases.
Not yet for the doctor's office
Despite the promising results, one thing remains clear: the test is not yet suitable for clinical use.The researchers stress that more research is needed to improve the method and increase its reliability.It was also shown that in 15 to 25 percent of the samples, the blood collection was suboptimal, for example because there was too little blood.
And: one of the most important Alzheimer's biomarkers, the protein amyloid-beta 42, has not yet been reliably measured from dried fingerstick blood.This limits the significance of the test.
- nature.com: "Minimally Invasive Dry Blood Biomarker Test for Detection of Alzheimer's Disease."(Available: January 2026; English)
- eketerbrc.nihr.ac.uk: "International Research Breakthrough for Remote Alzheimer's Testing".(from January 2026; English)
- alzheimer-forschung.de: "57 million people affected by dementia worldwide"
- Information is not a substitute for a doctor's advice, so it should not be used for self-medication.
