A scientific team led by Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona has analysed 6 different populations at various stages of Alzheimer’s disease and 1 cohort of people with Down syndrome, demonstrating that it is possible to detect early signs of Alzheimer’s through a simple finger prick.
The project, called DROP-AD (Dried Blood Spots for Alzheimer’s Disease), recently published in the scientific journal Nature Medicine, included 337 participants, 131 from Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona. The project was developed in collaboration with the University of Gothenburg (Sweden) and centres in Brescia, Copenhagen, Exeter, Malmö and Barcelona.
The study validates the quantification of proteins such as p-tau217, GFAP and NfL in dried capillary blood, a method that makes it possible to identify the presence of amyloid pathology, one of the main indicators of Alzheimer’s disease, with a diagnostic accuracy of 86%.
“This method could accelerate the identification of people at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, streamlining their referral to specialised Memory Units, where other complementary tests would be carried out, cognitive tests, neuroimaging, evaluation of biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid, etc., to confirm the diagnosis. The aim is to democratise access to early diagnosis. The earlier the disease is detected, the more effective any pharmacological or non-pharmacological intervention can be, and the better patient care can be planned,” explained Xavier Morató, Director of the Clinical Trials Unit at Ace Alzheimer Center.
Until now, confirmation of amyloid pathology required lumbar puncture or molecular neuroimaging (PET), invasive, costly procedures with limited accessibility. Recently, the detection of these biomarkers in plasma has been achieving sensitivity and specificity comparable to the methods considered reference standards to date (CSF or amyloid PET), and tests to analyse plasma biomarkers approved to support clinical diagnosis already exist in Europe (Elecsys pTau181).
A simple and accessible method
The DROP-AD procedure is fast, simple and safe. Using a safety lancet, a drop of blood is obtained from the index or middle finger and placed on a specialised card capable of automatically separating blood cells from plasma. After a short drying period at room temperature, the card can be sent by regular mail to the laboratory, without the need for refrigeration or urgent transport. There, using ultrasensitive Simoa (Single Molecule Array) technology, Alzheimer’s biomarkers are quantified.
The study shows that this non-invasive, low-cost alternative could facilitate access to diagnosis even in rural areas or countries with limited healthcare resources. In addition, the team is exploring the possibility that individuals could collect the sample at home and send it directly to the laboratory.
“If its reliability is confirmed, this technique could be applied in population screening programmes, epidemiological studies and longitudinal follow-up of patients in clinical trials, democratizing access to early diagnosis,” Morató notes.
The research emerges in a worrying global context, more than 55 million people worldwide are living with Alzheimer’s disease, a figure expected to triple by 2050 according to the World Health Organization. Currently, there is a delay in Alzheimer’s diagnosis, as most studies report a window of 2 to 3 years between the onset of symptoms, referral to specialised centres and diagnosis of the disease. In addition, only 20 to 30% of patients with mild cognitive impairment receive a confirmed biological diagnosis, largely due to the logistical and economic barriers of conventional methods.
Alzheimer Center Barcelona, a pioneering model in the field of Alzheimer’s
Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona, an innovative institution and a reference centre in Spain, was founded in 1995 with the aim of addressing the growing demand for diagnosis and treatment of people with cognitive impairment and dementia, especially Alzheimer’s disease. It offers personalised care and comprehensive support to patients and their families, with a care model based on telemedicine that ensures attention and support for all people with Alzheimer’s disease and their relatives from anywhere in the territory.
Each year, its Diagnostic Unit sees close to 9,000 people, more than 4,000 of whom have dementia, 3,000 of these with Alzheimer’s disease. Early-stage diagnosis of dementia is a priority for Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona, which is why it promotes free memory check-ups, also available online through FACEmemory®. Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona is considered one of the international reference centres in research, especially clinical, neuropsychological, social and basic research. Among other research activities, Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona participates in numerous worldwide clinical trials covering all stages of the disease. For this reason, it has led two European Union-funded research projects on Alzheimer’s genetics (ADAPTED) and on models of active patient participation (MOPEAD).
For more information,
Marta Martín, marta.martin.ext@weareboth.com, +34 637 75 50 06
Isabel Rodríguez, irodriguez@fundacioace.org, +34 93 444 73 18
www.acealzheimer.org