New non-invasive blood test detects Alzheimer’s Disease

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — ARUP Laboratories is now providing a blood test to assist in identifying Alzheimer’s disease among patients with cognitive decline.

The blood test is designed to detect a phosphorylated tau 217 (pTau 217), a common marker of Alzheimer’s disease, through a low-invasive and accessible process.

According to Heather Nelson, PhD, medical director of Clinical Chemistry at ARUP, new disease-modifying therapies have created a need for early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.

Conventional testing procedures often require a “spinal tap,” in which a needle is inserted into the lower spine to retrieve fluid for testing. Nelson says the pTau 217 blood test is much less invasive, requiring just plasma from a normal blood draw.

According to an ARUP spokesperson, the best way for patients to access a pTau 217 blood test is through their doctors.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.