Summary: A newly developed blood-based test reveals changes in hippocampal neurogenesis up to 3.5 years before a clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.

New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London has established a blood-based test that could be used to predict the risk of Alzheimer’s disease up to 3.5 years before clinical diagnosis.

While the underlying reasons for the increased neurogenesis remain unclear, the researchers theorize that it may be an early compensating mechanism for the neurodegeneration (loss of brain cells) experienced by those developing Alzheimer’s disease.

When the researchers used only the blood samples collected furthest away from when the participants were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, they found that the changes in neurogenesis occurred 3.5 years prior to a clinical diagnosis.

Dr. Edina Silajdžić, the study’s joint first author added, “Our findings are extremely important, potentially allowing us to predict onset of Alzheimer’s early in a non-invasive fashion.

Dr. Hyunah Lee, the study’s joint first author said, “It is now essential to validate these findings in a bigger and more diverse group of people.