Early blood test to predict dementia is step closer as biological markers identified

Researchers have taken a major step towards a blood test that can predict the risk of dementia more than a decade before the condition is formally diagnosed in patients.

Blood samples from 52,645 UK adults without dementia were collected and frozen between 2006 and 2010 and analysed 10 to 15 years later .

Four proteins, Gfap, Nefl , Gdf15 and Ltbp2 were present in unusual levels among those who developed all-cause dementia, Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia.

Higher levels of the proteins were warning signs of disease.