Researchers develop blood test that may help diagnose Alzheimer’s

TORONTO – Canadian researchers have developed a blood test that one day may help diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, even in its early stages.

Scientists at McGill University Health Centre in Montreal say the test measures blood levels of D-H-E-A, a hormone produced by the body that’s been touted for possible anti-aging properties.

Researcher Vassilios Papadopoulos says the test involves performing a chemical reaction, called oxidation, on a sample of blood. Oxidation causes production of D-H-E-A.

When exposed to oxidation, the blood of healthy controls showed a rise in D-H-E-A levels, but there was little or no increase in D-H-E-A in blood from Alzheimer’s patients.

Papadopoulos says there are many steps before such a test could be brought to market and used to screen people for the disease.

But early diagnosis could potentially provide a longer window of opportunity for future drug therapies aimed at slowing progression of the disease.

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