New Blood Test for Alzheimer’s Progression

A recent study suggests that a straightforward blood test can determine which patients are likely to quickly develop severe Alzheimer’s disease. This breakthrough could help identify individuals with mild cognitive impairment who are at higher risk of a faster decline, allowing them better access to clinical trials and support services.

Researchers at the University of Brescia, Italy, tested 315 non-diabetic patients showing cognitive deficits, including 200 diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. They focused on insulin resistance, which is known to regulate blood-sugar levels, using the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index as a measurement.

Among patients with mild cognitive impairment resulting from Alzheimer’s, those with higher TyG scores experienced a decline four times quicker over a three-year follow-up than their counterparts with lower scores. This suggests a correlation between insulin resistance and Alzheimer’s progression, possibly due to its effects on glucose uptake in the brain, inflammation, and blood-brain barrier disruption.

Additionally, the study indicates that elevated TyG levels might contribute to the accumulation of amyloid plaques, which are harmful proteins found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. Notably, high TyG readings were also linked to the disruption of the blood-brain barrier and cardiovascular risk factors.

However, the researchers did not find any correlations between high TyG scores and other neurodegenerative conditions. The findings will be shared at the European Academy of Neurology Congress in Helsinki.

Dr. Bianca Gumina, the study’s lead researcher, noted that families often inquire about the speed of cognitive decline following a mild cognitive impairment diagnosis. She emphasized that their findings indicate a readily available metabolic marker could effectively identify more vulnerable patients, who might benefit from targeted treatment approaches.