Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleNew research suggests a simple blood test could identify signs of Alzheimer's disease decades before symptoms manifest. A study in The Lancet found that high levels of amyloid and p-tau217 biomarkers in midlife were linked to poorer cognitive performance over five years. These findings indicate that Alzheimer's neuropathology can be present in midlife, supporting the concept that the disease begins long before clinical symptoms emerge. A separate study proposed a novel brain scanning technique, MK6240, which proved more effective at detecting tau protein tangles earlier than existing methods. Experts believe earlier detection through blood tests could revolutionise diagnosis, facilitate participation in clinical trials, and improve access to disease-modifying treatments, with a goal to make them available on the NHS by 2029. In fullHow a simple blood test could spot signs of Alzheimer’s ‘decades before symptoms’Thank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

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A study in the Lancet looked at whether a blood test could indicate the most common form of dementia and diagnose people decades before symptoms are clear enough to be identified…