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Blood test boosts Alzheimer's diagnosis accuracy to 94.5%, clinical study shows

medicalxpress.com

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Re: Blood test boosts Alzheimer's diagnosis accuracy to 94.5%, clinical study shows

#21

Post by viking123 »

janalsncm wrote: post #4

For a disease which (to my knowledge) can’t be slowed down or reversed, I think it’s a fair question why we would want to detect Alzheimer’s. Maybe there are other reasons, but my suspicion is that we will be able to, and an easy detection method significantly widens the pool of subjects to study later on. If it turns out that driving a Prius on Tuesdays slows down Alzheimer’s, a larger pool of subjects would allow u…

Well, the AI CEOs are telling we will have AGI in ~5 years, so with millions of agents with AGI this thing should be sorted soon ;)

Re: Blood test boosts Alzheimer's diagnosis accuracy to 94.5%, clinical study shows

#22

Post by refurb »

94.5% is actually terrible.

If you have a prevalence of 10 in 1000, how do the numbers shake out?

Well, you test all 1,000. If we assume a 95% accuracy for false-positive and false negatives?

Of the 990 that you test that don't have the disease, the test will false state 50 do have the disease. Yikes!

And of the 10 that do have the disease? You'll miss 1 of them.

Re: Blood test boosts Alzheimer's diagnosis accuracy to 94.5%, clinical study shows

#23

Post by protocolture »

janalsncm wrote: post #4

For a disease which (to my knowledge) can’t be slowed down or reversed, I think it’s a fair question why we would want to detect Alzheimer’s. Maybe there are other reasons, but my suspicion is that we will be able to, and an easy detection method significantly widens the pool of subjects to study later on. If it turns out that driving a Prius on Tuesdays slows down Alzheimer’s, a larger pool of subjects would allow u…

Most people get a dementia (or related) diagnosis after they are deep enough in it so that they cant do much about it or get their affairs in order.

My grandfather had a "fall" at work, he then left that job, and held down 2 more engineering jobs before he was diagnosed with a stroking condition and subsequent dementia. I got the distinct impression he thought he had more time, but rapidly declined.

If he knew he was short of time before his rapid decline he probably would have done things differently. Like not buying a house he would later have to sell to pay for aged care.

If he knew he was at risk of a workplace accident he probably wouldn't have worked as an after hours safety engineer at a major treatment plant, where if the worst had happened he could have endangered others.

Re: Blood test boosts Alzheimer's diagnosis accuracy to 94.5%, clinical study shows

#24

Post by suprgeek »

Since the recent discoveries about Shingles Vaccine delaying dementia https://hsph.harvard.edu/news/link-between-shingles-vaccine-...

One of interesting checks in this study might be to check when (if) any of the participants had taken this vax and what the impact might be on an Alzimer's diagnosis.

Re: Blood test boosts Alzheimer's diagnosis accuracy to 94.5%, clinical study shows

#25

Post by OneMorePerson »

janalsncm wrote: post #4

For a disease which (to my knowledge) can’t be slowed down or reversed, I think it’s a fair question why we would want to detect Alzheimer’s. Maybe there are other reasons, but my suspicion is that we will be able to, and an easy detection method significantly widens the pool of subjects to study later on. If it turns out that driving a Prius on Tuesdays slows down Alzheimer’s, a larger pool of subjects would allow u…

Being able to know someone's risk factor would be important for how we treat elderly people. I know someone who is 85 and super sharp (previously worked as a corporate accountant and banker), they still have a better memory than a lot of 40-50 year olds, and yet they are constantly harassed by eldercare "agents" for the state because whenever they make a investment decision that is even slightly questionable they get reported to the state by the bank. Sometimes the bank refuses to authorize transactions. If they could conclusively prove they aren't at risk I think they would be left alone much more often.

Re: Blood test boosts Alzheimer's diagnosis accuracy to 94.5%, clinical study shows

#26

Post by Aurornis »

dzink wrote: post #18

This needs to include life-changing false positive rates. Imagine being given a diagnosis like this - people around you who know and any corporations who can sniff it out by snooping on your communications can lead to much rejection early in life. What happens when the diagnosis is as positive when it shouldn’t have been?

This isn't a predictive test that someone could take in early life.

It's used to refine clinical diagnosis after patients present with cognitive severe decline.

By the time someone gets this test, they have severe problems. The purpose of this test is to assist with the right diagnosis.

Re: Blood test boosts Alzheimer's diagnosis accuracy to 94.5%, clinical study shows

#27

Post by gilgoomesh »

janalsncm wrote: post #4

For a disease which (to my knowledge) can’t be slowed down or reversed, I think it’s a fair question why we would want to detect Alzheimer’s. Maybe there are other reasons, but my suspicion is that we will be able to, and an easy detection method significantly widens the pool of subjects to study later on. If it turns out that driving a Prius on Tuesdays slows down Alzheimer’s, a larger pool of subjects would allow u…

For 20-ish% of Alzheimer's patients, the Shingles vaccine may be a treatment. This has been suspected for a few years now but has received recent confirmation studies.

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/news/2025-11-18/promising-rese...

Re: Blood test boosts Alzheimer's diagnosis accuracy to 94.5%, clinical study shows

#28

Post by Aurornis »

janalsncm wrote: post #4

For a disease which (to my knowledge) can’t be slowed down or reversed, I think it’s a fair question why we would want to detect Alzheimer’s. Maybe there are other reasons, but my suspicion is that we will be able to, and an easy detection method significantly widens the pool of subjects to study later on. If it turns out that driving a Prius on Tuesdays slows down Alzheimer’s, a larger pool of subjects would allow u…

> For a disease which (to my knowledge) can’t be slowed down or reversed, I think it’s a fair question why we would want to detect Alzheimer’s.

Getting an accurate diagnosis is always important. Cognitive decline could be caused by other problems, some of which are more treatable than others.

If this test came back negative it would suggest extra testing to rule out other conditions like a brain tumor or hydrocephalus.

Re: Blood test boosts Alzheimer's diagnosis accuracy to 94.5%, clinical study shows

#29

Post by Aurornis »

refurb wrote: post #22

94.5% is actually terrible. If you have a prevalence of 10 in 1000, how do the numbers shake out? Well, you test all 1,000. If we assume a 95% accuracy for false-positive and false negatives? Of the 990 that you test that don't have the disease, the test will false state 50 do have the disease. Yikes! And of the 10 that do have the disease? You'll miss 1 of them.

This improves the diagnostic accuracy from around 75% to 95%.

It's not terrible. This is a relatively good number. Diagnostics is just terribly difficult.

Re: Blood test boosts Alzheimer's diagnosis accuracy to 94.5%, clinical study shows

#30

Post by maybelsyrup »

Baeocystin wrote: post #14
janalsncm wrote: post #4

For a disease which (to my knowledge) can’t be slowed down or reversed, I think it’s a fair question why we would want to detect Alzheimer’s. Maybe there are other reasons, but my suspicion is that we will be able to, and an easy detection method significantly widens the pool of subjects to study later on. If it turns out that driving a Prius on Tuesdays slows down Alzheimer’s, a larger pool of subjects would allow u…

I know two people who have been taking the new monoclonal antibody treatment for it. One who was a bit further along when she started, and did not show any significant improvement. The one who started while she was still in the early stages has completely arrested her descent. She hasn't recovered much of what she already lost, but she's still able to live independently and enjoy life, and her mental acuity scores ar…

Wait what treatment is this?
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