Treating Alzheimer's disease in a person living with HIV
Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring
Authors: David B. Clifford, Tammie L. S. Benzinger, Jee-young Han, Savannah Powles, Madeline Paczynski, Beau M. Ances, J. William Campbell
This study examined whether a simple blood test could help detect Alzheimer’s disease earlier and more accurately in everyday clinical settings. Researchers focused on a blood‑based biomarker called plasma phosphorylated tau‑217 (p‑tau217), which has shown promise in identifying Alzheimer’s‑related brain changes long before symptoms become severe. While advanced brain scans and spinal fluid tests can detect these changes, they are expensive, invasive, and not widely available. A reliable blood test could make early detection far more accessible.
The researchers evaluated how well p‑tau217 performed in a real‑world memory clinic population that included people with a range of cognitive concerns, not just those already suspected of having Alzheimer’s disease. They compared the blood test results with established diagnostic tools, including amyloid PET scans and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers, to see how closely the blood test matched these gold‑standard methods. They also assessed whether p‑tau217 could help clinicians distinguish Alzheimer’s disease from other causes of cognitive impairment.
The study found that plasma p‑tau217 was highly accurate in identifying individuals with Alzheimer’s‑related brain changes. Its performance was comparable to more invasive and costly tests, even among patients with mixed or uncertain symptoms. The biomarker also helped differentiate Alzheimer’s disease from other neurodegenerative conditions, which is often a challenge in routine clinical practice. These results suggest that p‑tau217 could serve as a practical first‑line test, helping clinicians decide who needs further evaluation and who may benefit from early treatment or monitoring.
Overall, the findings support the growing evidence that blood‑based biomarkers can transform Alzheimer’s diagnosis by making it more accessible, less invasive, and more cost‑effective. The study highlights that p‑tau217, in particular, could play a key role in improving early detection and guiding clinical decision‑making in memory clinics. As treatments increasingly target early stages of the disease, having a reliable and widely available blood test could significantly improve patient care and outcomes.