What if a blood test or other simple exam could one day detect Alzheimer’s? Scientists are in pursuit of ways to test for Alzheimer’s by measuring a biomarker—a substance in the body that may indicate or rule out the presence of a disease. This could make Alzheimer’s diagnosis more common in the future, so doctors might be able to intervene before symptoms appear. Where do we stand on developing such a test, and what might the implications be for those who take it?
In this Alzheimer’s Talks, we heard more about these questions. Scott Lewis, Director, Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnostic Pathway at Biogen, works with a range of stakeholders to understand and address the current and future challenges associated with the screening and detecting Alzheimer’s disease. He described techniques used today to diagnose Alzheimer’s and what we might expect in the future. Melissa Bianchi is an expert in patient protections at the law firm Hogan Lovells. She discussed how families might prepare for receiving a biomarker confirmation of Alzheimer’s in the early stages of the disease.