Blood Test Predicts Women's Dementia Risk

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego have discovered a blood test that can predict the risk of dementia in women up to 25 years before symptoms appear. The study, led by Aladdin Shadyab and Linda McEvoy, found that higher levels of the protein p-tau217 are strongly associated with future mild cognitive impairment and dementia. This finding, published in JAMA Network Open, is based on data from 2,766 women in the Women s Health Initiative Memory Study. The Alzheimer s Society and Alzheimer s Research UK have welcomed the research, emphasizing the potential for earlier prevention strategies and more accessible diagnostic methods compared to current brain imaging or spinal fluid tests. Further research is needed to understand how factors like age, ethnicity, hormone therapy, and genetics interact with p-tau217 levels and to integrate this testing into routine clinical care.