Midlife Blood Test Could Predict Cognitive Decline and Alzheimer's in Later Life

Scientists have identified two blood biomarkers related to cognitive function changes in midlife women, potentially paving the way for noninvasive, early detection and intervention strategies for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

In recent research conducted by the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI, USA ), the team investigated two blood-based serum biomarkers, amyloid β (Aβ)42, Aβ42/40 ratio, and phosphorylated tau181 (p-tau181) and tracked their levels in 192 middle-aged women over 14 years, comparing their levels with results from various neurological function tests. The researchers focused on midlife as a critical period for detecting cognitive decline due to two significant changes in women: 1) the menopausal transition marked by a steep decline in estrogen levels and irreversible ovarian changes, affecting cognitive function, and 2) the increased incidence of cardiometabolic risk factors like hypertension and diabetes, which are linked to a heightened risk of cognitive decline and dementia in later life.

The study revealed that elevated levels of p-tau 181 were associated with faster cognitive decline, while lower Aβ 42/40 levels correlated with a quicker deterioration in cognitive functions. These findings imply that assessing blood AD biomarkers during midlife could act as early indicator of cognitive decline, providing a window for early detection and preventative measures before the onset of irreversible dementia. In addition to the potential for earlier intervention in Alzheimer’s and other dementias, the blood biomarker tests examined in this study might offer less invasive and potentially more cost-effective alternatives to current neurological testing methods, which often require lumbar punctures for cerebrospinal fluid and costly PET scans for imaging.

“This is a new area of study, and it is very promising, but of course we are in need of a larger and more diverse sample,” said Xin Wang, a research assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. “It's important to note that the presence of the biomarkers that we tested doesn't mean there is Alzheimer’s Disease. However, we know they are a central part of neuropathological changes. These pathological changes are important to know of earlier than later.”

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