publicdata/nih-gov
1
0
Fork 0
Code Issues Pull requests Projects Releases Packages Wiki Activity Actions
nih-gov/www.nih.gov/node/243656
Scott Williams 7bcb500d37 Initial commit.
2025-02-26 13:17:41 -05:00

718 lines
69 KiB
Text
Raw Permalink Blame History

This file contains invisible Unicode characters

This file contains invisible Unicode characters that are indistinguishable to humans but may be processed differently by a computer. If you think that this is intentional, you can safely ignore this warning. Use the Escape button to reveal them.

This file contains Unicode characters that might be confused with other characters. If you think that this is intentional, you can safely ignore this warning. Use the Escape button to reveal them.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html class="no-js" lang="en" dir="ltr" prefix="content: http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/ dc: http://purl.org/dc/terms/ foaf: http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/ rdfs: http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema# sioc: http://rdfs.org/sioc/ns# sioct: http://rdfs.org/sioc/types# skos: http://www.w3.org/2004/02/skos/core# xsd: http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#">
<head>
<title>Research in Context: Diagnosing dementia | National Institutes of Health (NIH)</title>
<meta charset="utf-8" />
<script type="text/javascript">
//<![CDATA[
var usasearch_config = { siteHandle:"nih" };
var script = document.createElement("script");
script.type = "text/javascript";
script.src = "//search.usa.gov/javascripts/remote.loader.js";
document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0].appendChild(script);
//]]>
</script><link rel="shortcut icon" href="https://www.nih.gov/favicon.ico" type="image/vnd.microsoft.icon" />
<meta name="google-site-verification" content="rjIoO4vW0AYgltSYvxM1L_CzGIkq28kHf9gHIASKx8s" />
<link rel="profile" href="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml/vocab" />
<meta http-equiv="cleartype" content="on" />
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="https://www.nih.gov/sites/all/themes/nih/apple-touch-icon.png" />
<meta name="description" content="This special Research in Context feature explores approaches to the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and other dementias and the development of strategies to try to prevent their progression." />
<meta name="keywords" content="Dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Detection, Alzheimer’s Diagnosis, Lewey body dementia, frontotemporal disorders, FTD, biomarkers, cognitive decline, neurodegenerative disease, amyloid-beta, tau, p-tau-217, neurofilament light chain, NfL, amyloid PET, Michael Weiner, Reisa Sperling, Eliezer Masliah, Tania Gendron" />
<meta name="robots" content="follow, index" />
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" />
<meta name="generator" content="Drupal 7 (http://drupal.org)" />
<link rel="canonical" href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/research-context-diagnosing-dementia" />
<link rel="shortlink" href="https://www.nih.gov/node/243656" />
<meta http-equiv="content-language" content="EN" />
<meta property="og:site_name" content="National Institutes of Health (NIH)" />
<meta property="og:type" content="article" />
<meta property="og:title" content="Research in Context: Diagnosing dementia" />
<meta property="og:url" content="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/research-context-diagnosing-dementia" />
<meta property="og:description" content="This special Research in Context feature explores approaches to the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and other dementias and the development of strategies to try to prevent their progression." />
<meta property="og:updated_time" content="2024-10-15T15:48:47-04:00" />
<meta property="og:image:url" content="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240130-family.jpg" />
<meta name="twitter:card" content="summary" />
<meta name="twitter:title" content="Research in Context: Diagnosing dementia" />
<meta name="twitter:url" content="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/research-context-diagnosing-dementia" />
<meta name="twitter:description" content="This special Research in Context feature explores approaches to the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and other dementias and the development of strategies to try to prevent their progression." />
<meta property="article:published_time" content="2024-01-29T12:50:55-05:00" />
<meta property="article:modified_time" content="2024-10-15T15:48:47-04:00" />
<meta name="owner" content="OD" />
<meta name="published_date" content="2024-01-29T12:50:55-05:00" />
<meta name="last_revision" content="2024-10-15T15:48:47-04:00" />
<link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/css/css_PfvPCWanzn7FjDwZqwAHhPoOxYKwkQP-RZSK1pFFG0s.css" media="all" />
<link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/css/css__mIWP9gcStq74isjZVoAAsiih8VXwJoN75Nyw_BXrj0.css" media="screen" />
<style media="print">#sb-container{position:relative;}#sb-overlay{display:none;}#sb-wrapper{position:relative;top:0;left:0;}#sb-loading{display:none;}
</style>
<link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/css/css_jENQOQqZCRFGZK__DTefxYiXR2RUf03k1ugj3_Vg7vk.css" media="all" />
<link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="//cdn.jsdelivr.net/qtip2/3.0.3/jquery.qtip.min.css" media="all" />
<link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/css/css_3yt-b0M1HNJsvKsXwYjh5TEtX2lJGAvJvtmVAfORYZs.css" media="all" />
<link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="//fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Droid+Sans:700,regular|Droid+Serif:italic,regular&amp;subset=latin" media="all" />
<link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/css/css_E4VlyxyL3JMcT6dslWLGb0uQdoI2bh_Xj0N65V-bcWo.css" media="all" />
<link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/css/css_5rDMv37-JxnNA70cRr_1jlAjVs56DCb8EN4XB2QLl0c.css" media="all" />
<!--[if lte IE 8]>
<link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/css/css_aLJB_yHt22A_mQek4IRDNsur5tEkCpqLe72j_w6QHQ0.css" media="all" />
<![endif]-->
<link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/css/css_KviiBystpJcQq4MplcQZvCFxnu9V763f5bPq_AKh4xM.css" media="all" />
<script src="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/js/js_mQAv54bz2JVXcwS5QWlz0fVY9Os67zeu9bgNqtlVLPY.js"></script>
<script src="//code.jquery.com/jquery-2.2.4.min.js"></script>
<script>window.jQuery || document.write("<script src='/sites/all/modules/contrib/jquery_update/replace/jquery/2.2/jquery.min.js'>\x3C/script>")</script>
<script>jQuery.migrateMute=true;jQuery.migrateTrace=false;</script>
<script src="//code.jquery.com/jquery-migrate-1.4.1.min.js"></script>
<script>window.jQuery && window.jQuery.migrateWarnings || document.write("<script src='/sites/all/modules/contrib/jquery_update/replace/jquery-migrate/1.4.1/jquery-migrate.min.js'>\x3C/script>")</script>
<script src="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/js/js_9sGTPBGcOGZjLiSLGrYEnuUf8VdvLmL_DEZNNNbnHXk.js"></script>
<script src="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/js/js_hNnF7a_sbk6nZ2-mOamHzalYND7HBHDLRInsaU93HDk.js"></script>
<script src="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/js/js_gHk2gWJ_Qw_jU2qRiUmSl7d8oly1Cx7lQFrqcp3RXcI.js"></script>
<script>document.createElement( "picture" );</script>
<script src="//cdn.jsdelivr.net/qtip2/3.0.3/jquery.qtip.min.js"></script>
<script defer="defer" src="//script.crazyegg.com/pages/scripts/0011/2616.js"></script>
<script src="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/js/js_3s0l7MQ3oYmGkNAypyzCJq3a0wT85XX_P1SLgnph5K4.js"></script>
<script>
Shadowbox.path = "/sites/all/libraries/shadowbox/";
</script>
<script>jQuery.extend(Drupal.settings, {"basePath":"\/","pathPrefix":"","setHasJsCookie":0,"instances":"{\u0022default\u0022:{\u0022content\u0022:{\u0022text\u0022:\u0022\u0022},\u0022style\u0022:{\u0022tip\u0022:false,\u0022classes\u0022:\u0022\u0022},\u0022position\u0022:{\u0022at\u0022:\u0022bottom right\u0022,\u0022adjust\u0022:{\u0022method\u0022:\u0022\u0022},\u0022my\u0022:\u0022top left\u0022,\u0022viewport\u0022:false},\u0022show\u0022:{\u0022event\u0022:\u0022mouseenter \u0022},\u0022hide\u0022:{\u0022event\u0022:\u0022mouseleave \u0022}}}","qtipDebug":"{\u0022leaveElement\u0022:0}","shadowbox":{"animate":true,"animateFade":true,"animSequence":"wh","auto_enable_all_images":1,"auto_gallery":1,"autoplayMovies":true,"continuous":false,"counterLimit":10,"counterType":"default","displayCounter":true,"displayNav":true,"enableKeys":true,"fadeDuration":0.34999999999999998,"handleOversize":"resize","handleUnsupported":"link","initialHeight":160,"initialWidth":320,"language":"en","modal":false,"overlayColor":"#000","overlayOpacity":0.80000000000000004,"resizeDuration":0.55000000000000004,"showMovieControls":true,"slideshowDelay":0,"viewportPadding":20,"useSizzle":false},"picture":{"mappings":[["Sidebar media mappings","sidebar_media_mappings"],["Floated media mappings","floated_media_mappings"],["Not Set","not_set"]],"label":"Image size (required)"},"extlink":{"extTarget":"_blank","extClass":"ext","extLabel":"(link is external)","extImgClass":0,"extIconPlacement":0,"extSubdomains":1,"extExclude":"(.\\.nih\\.gov.)|(.\\.cancer\\.gov.)|(.\\.genome\\.gov.)|(.\\.drugabuse\\.gov.)|(locatorplus\\.gov.)|(.\\.govdelivery\\.com.)|(.\\.hatchbuck\\.com.)|(nihseniorhealth\\.gov.)|(clinicaltrials\\.gov.)|(search\\.usa\\.gov\\\/search\\?affiliate\\=hip.)|(search\\.gov\\\/search\\?affiliate\\=hip.)|(drugabuse\\.gov.)|(medlineplus\\.gov.)|(collegedrinkingprevention\\.gov.)|(smokefree\\.gov.)|(arpa-h\\.gov.)|(nih\\.sharepoint\\.com)","extInclude":"(.\\.pagefreezer\\.com.)","extCssExclude":".media, .emergency-message, .slideshow-main, .bean-home-slideshow-2l-block","extCssExplicit":"","extAlert":"_blank","extAlertText":"You are leaving the NIH website.\r\n\r\nThis external link provides additional information that is consistent with the intended purpose of this site. NIH cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal site.\r\n\r\nLinking to a non-federal site does not constitute an endorsement by NIH or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the site. You will be subject to the destination site\u2019s privacy policy when you follow the link.","mailtoClass":"mailto","mailtoLabel":"(link sends e-mail)","extUseFontAwesome":0}});</script>
<script type="application/javascript" id="uws-snippet">
// Verint Unified WebSDK Integration Snippet v2.3
//
// Instructions: please embed this snippet directly into every page of your website template.
// For optimal performance, this should be embedded directly into the template, not referenced as
// an external file.
//
// DO NOT MODIFY BELOW THIS LINE *****************************************
(function () {
var cookies = document.cookie.split("; ").reduce(function (o, i) { var p = i.split("="); o[p[0]] = p[1]; return o; }, {});
var containerValue = cookies.uws_container_override && JSON.parse(decodeURIComponent(cookies.uws_container_override));
var config = {
moduleHost: "ucm-us.verint-cdn.com",
configHost: "ucm-us.verint-cdn.com",
siteKey: "nih-gov",
container: containerValue || "live",
loadTime: Date.now()
};
var readyCallbacks = []; window.uwsReady = function (callback) { readyCallbacks.push(callback); };
var sdkPath = "//" + [config.moduleHost, "files/sites", config.siteKey, config.container, "sdk.js"].join("/");
var script = document.createElement("script"); script.src = sdkPath; script.async = true; script.type = "module";
script.addEventListener("load", function () { window.unifiedSDK.start(config, readyCallbacks); });
document.head.appendChild(script);
})();
// DO NOT MODIFY ABOVE THIS LINE *****************************************
</script>
</head>
<body class="html not-front not-logged-in page-node page-node- page-node-243656 node-type-nih-research-matters section navigation-nih-research-matters section-news-events">
<a href="#main-content" class="element-invisible element-focusable">Skip to main content</a>
<noscript aria-hidden="true"><iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5CBCNW2" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript>
<div class="l-page has-one-sidebar has-sidebar-second">
<div class="l-page-content">
<header class="l-header" role="banner">
<div class="l-ribbon-wrapper">
<ul class="l-ribbon">
<li><span class="ribbon-hhs"></span><a href="https://www.hhs.gov">U.S. Department of Health &amp; Human Services</a><span class="ribbon-right"></span></li>
</ul>
</div> <div class="l-banner-wrapper">
<div class="l-banner">
<div class="l-branding">
<a class="nih-logo icon-nih-logo" href="/" title="National Institutes of Health (NIH) - Turning Discovery into Health" rel="home"><img src="/sites/all/themes/nih/images/nih-logo-color.png" width="390" height="60" alt="National Institutes of Health (NIH) - Turning Discovery into Health" /></a>
</div>
<!-- DigitalGov Search -->
<form accept-charset="UTF-8" action="https://search.nih.gov/search" id="search" class="search-form site-search" method="get">
<div style="margin:0;padding:0;display:inline"><input name="utf8" type="hidden" value="&#x2713;" /></div>
<input id="affiliate" name="affiliate" type="hidden" value="nih" />
<label for="query" class="hide">Search the NIH Website</label>
<input autocomplete="on" class="usagov-search-autocomplete form-field form-field-site-search" id="query" name="query" type="text" placeholder="Search NIH" /><input type="submit" name="commit" value="Search" class="form-button form-button-site-search" />
</form>
<ul class="banner-utilities">
<li><a href="/virtual-tour">Virtual Tour</a></li>
<li><a href="https://ned.nih.gov/">Staff Directory</a></li>
<li><a href="https://salud.nih.gov">En Espa&ntilde;ol</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</header>
<div class="l-navigation-wrapper">
<!-- ****************** SITE MENU ****************** -->
<h2 class="element-invisible">Site Menu</h2>
<nav class="l-menu-wrapper">
<ul class="l-menu">
<!-- ********* HOME TAB (Mobile view only) ********* -->
<li class="tab-wrapper tab-wrapper-home">
<div class="tab home"><a href="/"><span>Home</span></a></div>
</li>
<!-- ********* HEALTH INFO TAB ********* -->
<li class="tab-wrapper tab-wrapper-healthinfo tab-wrapper-left">
<div class="tab"><a href="/health-information"><span>Health Information</span></a></div>
<div class="megamenu">
<div class="megamenu-col megamenu-leftcol">
<ul class="sub-menu">
<li><a href="https://www.hhs.gov/programs/social-services/health-care-facilities/index.html">Health Care Providers & Facilities</a></li>
<li><a href="/health-information/health-info-lines">Health Info Lines</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.healthcare.gov">HealthCare.gov</a></li>
<li><a href="/research-training/science-education">Science Education Resources</a></li>
<li><a href="/health-information/nih-clinical-research-trials-you">NIH Clinical Research Trials and You</a></li>
<li><a href="/institutes-nih/nih-office-director/office-communications-public-liaison/clear-communication/talking-your-doctor">Talking to Your Doctor</a></li>
<!--<li><a href="/institutes-nih/nih-office-director/office-communications-public-liaison/clear-communication/clear-health-nih" title="">Clear Health A–Z</a></li>-->
</ul>
<p class="more-wrapper"><a class="button gold" href="/health-information" title="More Health Information">More &raquo;</a></p>
</div>
<div class="megamenu-col megamenu-rightcol">
<form id="hipsearch" accept-charset="UTF-8" action="https://search.nih.gov/search" method="get" class="search-form">
<p class="subhead"><label for="query2">Search Health Topics</label></p>
<div class="input-wrapper">
<div style="margin:0;padding:0;display:inline"><input name="utf8" type="hidden" value="&#x2713;" /></div>
<input id="affiliate" name="affiliate" type="hidden" value="hip" />
<input type="hidden" name="dc" value="940" />
<input autocomplete="on" maxlength="50" class="usagov-search-autocomplete form-field form-field-search" id="query2" name="query" type="text" />
<input name="commit" type="submit" value="Go" id="searchbutton" class="form-button" />
</div>
</form>
<p class="subhead">Quick Links</p>
<ul class="sub-menu">
<li><a class="minibadge minibadge-medlineplus" href="https://medlineplus.gov/"><span class="minibadge-text">MedlinePlus Health Info</span></a></li>
<li><a class="minibadge minibadge-newsinhealth" href="https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/"><span class="minibadge-text">NIH News in Health</span></a></li>
<li><a class="minibadge minibadge-wellnesstoolkits" href="/health-information/your-healthiest-self-wellness-toolkits"><span class="minibadge-text">Wellness Toolkits</span></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</li>
<!-- ********* GRANTS TAB ********* -->
<li class="tab-wrapper tab-wrapper-grants tab-wrapper-left">
<div class="tab"><a href="/grants-funding"><span>Grants & Funding</span></a></div>
<div class="megamenu">
<div class="megamenu-col megamenu-leftcol">
<ul>
<li><a href="https://grants.nih.gov">Grants Home Page</a></li>
<li><a href="https://grants.nih.gov/funding/index.htm">Find Funding</a></li>
<li><a href="https://grants.nih.gov/grants/how-to-apply-application-guide/due-dates-and-submission-policies/due-dates.htm">Due Dates</a></li>
<li><a href="https://grants.nih.gov/grants/how-to-apply-application-guide.html">How to Apply</a></li>
<li><a href="https://grants.nih.gov/grants/about_grants.htm">About Grants</a></li>
<li><a href="https://grants.nih.gov/policy/index.htm">Policy &amp; Compliance</a></li>
<li><a href="https://nexus.od.nih.gov/all/">Grants News/Blog</a></li>
<li><a href="https://grants.nih.gov/funding/contracts.htm">Contracts</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.lrp.nih.gov/">Loan Repayment</a></li>
</ul>
<p class="more-wrapper"><a class="button gold" href="/grants-funding" title="More Grants &amp; Funding Information">More &raquo;</a></p>
</div>
<div class="megamenu-col megamenu-rightcol">
<p class="subhead">Quick Links</p>
<ul>
<li><a class="minibadge minibadge-report" href="https://report.nih.gov/"><span class="minibadge-text">RePORT</span></a></li>
<li><a class="minibadge minibadge-era" href="https://commons.era.nih.gov/commons/"><span class="minibadge-text">eRA Commons</span></a></li>
<li><a class="minibadge minibadge-commonfund" href="https://commonfund.nih.gov/"><span class="minibadge-text">NIH Common Fund</span></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</li>
<!-- ********* NEWS TAB ********* -->
<li class="tab-wrapper tab-wrapper-news tab-wrapper-left">
<div class="tab"><a href="/news-events"><span>News &amp; Events</span></a></div>
<div class="megamenu">
<div class="megamenu-col megamenu-leftcol">
<ul>
<li><a href="/news-events/news-releases">News Releases</a></li>
<li><a href="/news-events/digital-media-kits">Digital Media Kits</a></li>
<li><a href="/news-events/media-resources">Media Resources</a></li>
<li><a href="/news-events/media-contacts">Media Contacts</a></li>
<li><a href="/news-events/images-b-roll">Images and B-roll</a></li>
<li><a href="/news-events/events">Events</a></li>
<li><a href="/news-events/social-media-outreach">Social Media</a></li>
</ul>
<p class="more-wrapper"><a class="button gold" href="/news-events" title="More News &amp; Events">More &raquo;</a></p>
</div>
<div class="megamenu-col megamenu-rightcol">
<p class="subhead">Quick Links</p>
<ul>
<li><a class="minibadge minibadge-newsinhealth" href="https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/"><span class="minibadge-text">NIH News in Health</span></a></li>
<li><a class="minibadge minibadge-researchmatters" href="/news-events/nih-research-matters"><span class="minibadge-text">NIH Research Matters</span></a></li>
<li><a class="minibadge minibadge-nihrecord" href="https://nihrecord.nih.gov/"><span class="minibadge-text">NIH Record</span></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</li>
<!-- ********* RESEARCH TAB ********* -->
<li class="tab-wrapper tab-wrapper-research tab-wrapper-right">
<div class="tab"><a href="/research-training"><span>Research &amp; Training</span></a></div>
<div class="megamenu">
<div class="megamenu-col megamenu-leftcol">
<ul>
<li><a href="/research-training/medical-research-initiatives">Medical Research Initiatives</a></li>
<li><a href="/research-training/science-highlights">Science Highlights</a></li>
<li><a href="/research-training/science-education">Science Education</a></li>
<li><a href="/research-training/research-nih-labs-clinics">Research in NIH Labs &amp; Clinics</a></li>
<li><a href="/research-training/training-opportunities">Training Opportunities</a></li>
<li><a href="/research-training/library-resources">Library Resources</a></li>
<li><a href="/research-training/research-resources">Research Resources</a></li>
<li><a href="/research-training/clinical-research-resources">Clinical Research Resources</a></li>
<li><a href="/research-training/safety-regulation-guidance">Safety, Regulation and Guidance</a></li>
</ul>
<p class="more-wrapper"><a class="button gold" href="/research-training" title="More Research &amp; Training">More &raquo;</a></p>
</div>
<div class="megamenu-col megamenu-rightcol">
<p class="subhead">Quick Links</p>
<ul>
<li><a class="minibadge minibadge-pubmed" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov"><span class="minibadge-text">PubMed</span></a></li>
<li><a class="minibadge minibadge-stemcell" href="https://stemcells.nih.gov"><span class="minibadge-text">Stem Cell Information</span></a></li>
<li><a class="minibadge minibadge-oppnet" href="https://oppnet.nih.gov"><span class="minibadge-text">OppNet</span></a></li>
<li><a class="minibadge minibadge-nidb" href="https://intramural.nih.gov"><span class="minibadge-text">NIDB</span></a></li>
<li><a class="minibadge minibadge-nihblueprint" href="https://neuroscienceblueprint.nih.gov"><span class="minibadge-text">NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research</span></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</li>
<!-- ********* INSTITUTES TAB ********* -->
<li class="tab-wrapper tab-wrapper-institutes tab-wrapper-right">
<div class="tab"><a href="/institutes-nih"><span>Institutes at NIH</span></a></div>
<div class="megamenu">
<div class="megamenu-col megamenu-leftcol">
<ul>
<li><a href="/institutes-nih/list-institutes-centers">List of Institutes and Centers</a></li>
<li><a href="/institutes-nih/nih-office-director">NIH Office of the Director</a></li>
<li><a href="/institutes-nih/directors-nih-institutes-centers">Directors of NIH Institutes and Centers</a></li>
<li><a href="/institutes-nih/nih-institute-center-contact-information">NIH Institute and Center Contact Information</a></li>
</ul>
<p class="more-wrapper"><a class="button gold" href="/institutes-nih" title="More About the Institutes at NIH">More &raquo;</a></p>
</div>
<div class="megamenu-col megamenu-rightcol">
<p class="subhead">Quick Links</p>
<ul class="ic-acronymn-list">
<li><a href="https://www.cancer.gov" title="National Cancer Institute">NCI</a></li>
<li><a href="https://nei.nih.gov" title="National Eye Institute">NEI</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov" title="National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute">NHLBI</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.genome.gov" title="National Human Genome Research Institute">NHGRI</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.nia.nih.gov" title="National Institute on Aging">NIA</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.niaaa.nih.gov" title="National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism">NIAAA</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.niaid.nih.gov" title="National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases">NIAID</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.niams.nih.gov" title="National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases">NIAMS</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.nibib.nih.gov" title="National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering">NIBIB</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.nichd.nih.gov" title="Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development">NICHD</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.nidcd.nih.gov" title="National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders">NIDCD</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.nidcr.nih.gov" title="National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research">NIDCR</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.niddk.nih.gov" title="National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases">NIDDK</a></li>
<li><a href="https://nida.nih.gov" title="National Institute on Drug Abuse">NIDA</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.niehs.nih.gov" title="National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences">NIEHS</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.nigms.nih.gov" title="National Institute of General Medical Sciences">NIGMS</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.nimh.nih.gov" title="National Institute of Mental Health">NIMH</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.nimhd.nih.gov" title="National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities">NIMHD</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.ninds.nih.gov" title="National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke">NINDS</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.ninr.nih.gov" title="National Institute of Nursing Research">NINR</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.nlm.nih.gov" title="National Library of Medicine">NLM</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.cc.nih.gov" title="NIH Clinical Center">CC</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.cit.nih.gov" title="Center for Information Technology">CIT</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.csr.nih.gov" title="Center for Scientific Review">CSR</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fic.nih.gov" title="Fogarty International Center">FIC</a></li>
<li><a href="https://ncats.nih.gov" title="National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences">NCATS</a></li>
<li><a href="https://nccih.nih.gov" title="National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health">NCCIH</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</li>
<!-- ********* ABOUT TAB ********* -->
<li class="tab-wrapper tab-wrapper-about tab-wrapper-right">
<div class="tab"><a href="/about-nih"><span>About NIH</span></a></div>
<div class="megamenu">
<div class="megamenu-col megamenu-leftcol">
<ul>
<li><a href="/about-nih/who-we-are">Who We Are</a></li>
<li><a href="/about-nih/what-we-do">What We Do</a></li>
<li><a href="https://hr.nih.gov/jobs">Jobs at NIH</a></li>
<li><a href="/about-nih/visitor-information">Visitor Information</a></li>
<li><a href="/about-nih/frequently-asked-questions">Frequently Asked Questions</a></li>
<li><a href="/about-nih/contact-us">Contact Us</a></li>
<!--<li><a href="/about-nih/explore-nih">Explore NIH</a></li>-->
</ul>
<p class="more-wrapper"><a class="button gold" href="/about-nih" title="More About NIH">More &raquo;</a></p>
</div>
<div class="megamenu-col megamenu-rightcol">
<p class="subhead">Quick Links</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="/about-nih/who-we-are/nih-director">The NIH Director</a></li>
<li><a href="/virtual-tour">Take the Virtual Tour</a></li>
<li><a href="/about-nih/what-we-do/nih-turning-discovery-into-health">NIH&hellip;Turning Discovery Into Health<sup>&reg;</sup></a></li>
<li><a href="/about-nih/what-we-do/impact-nih-research">Impact of NIH Research</a></li>
<li><a href="/about-nih/what-we-do/science-health-public-trust">Science, Health, and Public Trust</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="tab-bkgnd"></div><!-- For pixel rounding issue -->
</nav>
<!-- ****************** END SITE MENU ****************** -->
</div>
<div class="l-main-wrapper">
<div class="l-main" id="page-content">
<h2 class="element-invisible">You are here</h2><div class="breadcrumb"><a href="/">Home</a> » <a href="/news-events">News &amp; Events</a> » <a href="/news-events/nih-research-matters">NIH Research Matters</a></div> <div class="l-region l-region--section-header">
<div id="block-block-101" class="block block--block sectionheader block--block-101" id="block-block-101" class="block block--block sectionheader block--block-101">
<div class="content" class="block__content">
<h2><a href="/news-events/nih-research-matters">NIH Research Matters</a></h2> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="l-content-wrapper">
<div class="l-content" role="main">
<a id="main-content"></a>
<div about="/news-events/nih-research-matters/research-context-diagnosing-dementia" typeof="sioc:Item foaf:Document" class="ds-1col node node--nih-research-matters view-mode-full node--full node--nih-research-matters--full clearfix">
<p class="publishdate"><span property="dc:date" datatype="xsd:dateTime" content="2024-01-30T00:00:00-05:00" class="date-display-single">January 30, 2024</span></p><div class='syndicate'><h1>Research in Context: Diagnosing dementia</h1><div class="callout callout-with-border"><h3><em>Detecting brain diseases early</em></h3>
<p>Until recently, a diagnosis of dementia might help explain cognitive decline, but there were no available treatments. In the last several years, the first drugs to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s have reached the market. This special Research in Context feature explores approaches to the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and other dementias and the development of strategies to try to prevent their progression.</p></div><div class="media-float-right"><div class="media media-element-container media-floated_media"><div class="ds-1col file file-image file-image-jpeg view-mode-floated_media clearfix">
<picture title="Elderly father with adult son and grandson out for a walk in the park." class="media-element">
<!--[if IE 9]><video style="display: none;"><![endif]-->
<source srcset="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-large/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240130-family.jpg?itok=98d3FXZb&amp;timestamp=1706550962 1x" media="screen and (min-width: 960px)"></source>
<source srcset="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-medium/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240130-family.jpg?itok=9QBPwGaT&amp;timestamp=1706550962 1x" media="screen and (min-width: 800px)"></source>
<source srcset="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-medium-small/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240130-family.jpg?itok=vd2-A2dH&amp;timestamp=1706550962 1x" media="screen and (min-width: 600px)"></source>
<source srcset="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-small/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240130-family.jpg?itok=xBK9ay4Q&amp;timestamp=1706550962 1x" media="screen and (min-width: 480px)"></source>
<source srcset="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-tiny/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240130-family.jpg?itok=sNb11Vu4&amp;timestamp=1706550962 1x" media="screen and (min-width: 0)"></source>
<!--[if IE 9]></video><![endif]-->
<img class="media-element" src="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-medium/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240130-family.jpg?itok=9QBPwGaT&amp;timestamp=1706550962" alt="Elderly father with adult son and grandson out for a walk in the park." title="Elderly father with adult son and grandson out for a walk in the park." />
</picture><span class="credit">adriaticfoto / Shutterstock</span></div>
</div></div>
<p>Diseases that degrade the mind strike at the very heart of our humanity. Unfortunately, such diseases aren’t rare. Strokes, infections, and chronic conditions like diabetes can all cause lasting damage to the brain. And more than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias—a number that is expected to rise over the coming decades.</p>
<p>Dementia is a loss of thinking, remembering, and reasoning skills that affects everyday life. The risk for developing dementia increases sharply with age, but dementia is not part of the healthy aging process.</p>
<p>“When [older] people start to have memory problems, cognitive problems, it’s due to a disease. It’s not a normal consequence of aging,” explains Dr. Michael Weiner, a dementia researcher at the University of California, San Francisco.</p>
<p>While there are several different forms of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease is the most common. Until recently, a diagnosis of dementia might help explain cognitive decline, but there were no treatments available to change the course of the disease. However, the last several years have brought a major change, as the first drugs that can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s have reached the market.</p>
<p>NIH-funded researchers are now drawing on decades of advances in detecting the changes that lead to Alzheimer’s and other dementias to develop strategies to try to prevent or slow their progression.</p>
<p>“There’s really consistent evidence that the process of Alzheimer’s disease in the brain begins at least a decade before symptoms appear—maybe even two decades,” explains Dr. Reisa Sperling, an Alzheimer’s disease researcher at Harvard Medical School. The same appears to be true for many other dementias. “But that’s a glass-half-full situation, because it means we can potentially detect the disease before there is irreversible damage.”</p>
<h3>Seeing damage in the brain</h3>
<div class="media-float-left media-float-small"><div class="media media-element-container media-floated_media"><div class="ds-1col file file-image file-image-jpeg view-mode-floated_media clearfix">
<picture title="Brain image of woman with inherited condition that causes early-onset Alzheimer’s disease " class="media-element">
<!--[if IE 9]><video style="display: none;"><![endif]-->
<source srcset="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-large/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240131-brain.jpg?itok=z0kZd8EJ&amp;timestamp=1706628897 1x" media="screen and (min-width: 960px)"></source>
<source srcset="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-medium/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240131-brain.jpg?itok=HGV4KzE7&amp;timestamp=1706628897 1x" media="screen and (min-width: 800px)"></source>
<source srcset="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-medium-small/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240131-brain.jpg?itok=MqB851X7&amp;timestamp=1706628897 1x" media="screen and (min-width: 600px)"></source>
<source srcset="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-small/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240131-brain.jpg?itok=A6A3cw7Z&amp;timestamp=1706628897 1x" media="screen and (min-width: 480px)"></source>
<source srcset="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-tiny/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240131-brain.jpg?itok=SPzsbWCG&amp;timestamp=1706628897 1x" media="screen and (min-width: 0)"></source>
<!--[if IE 9]></video><![endif]-->
<img class="media-element" src="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-medium/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240131-brain.jpg?itok=HGV4KzE7&amp;timestamp=1706628897" alt="Brain image of woman showing large red areas." title="Brain image of woman with inherited condition that causes early-onset Alzheimer’s disease " />
</picture><span class="caption">Brain PET measurements of a woman with an inherited condition that causes early-onset Alzheimer’s disease show high levels of amyloid plaques for her age. Blue represents lowest levels and red represents highest.</span><span class="credit">Arboleda-Velasquez et al., Nature Medicine</span></div>
</div></div>
<p>Some types of damage to the brain, like from a stroke, are relatively easy to pick out with a CT scan in the emergency department. But the brain changes associated with dementia start at the molecular level and get worse slowly. In the past, this made them difficult to detect.</p>
<p>For example, until fairly recently, Alzheimer’s disease could only be confirmed after death. Characteristic damage to the brain could be seen during an autopsy. This damage includes abnormal clumps, called plaques, of a protein called amyloid-beta. It also involves bundles of fibers, or tangles, formed by another protein called tau.</p>
<p>Together, these harmful substances are thought to gum up the activity of neurons—the brain cells that convey chemical and electrical messages to create thoughts. This is associated with a progressive worsening of the cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.</p>
<p>“Traditionally, the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease in patients was based on the clinical symptoms of dementia,” explains Dr. Eliezer Masliah, an aging expert at NIH.</p>
<p>In the early 2000s, biomarkers to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease in living people first became available for research. Broadly, a biomarker is any measurable characteristic that can reliably help diagnose disease. Biomarkers may include molecules found in blood tests, results from imaging exams, or other characteristics.</p>
<p>For Alzheimer’s disease, a breakthrough came with positron emission tomography, or PET scans. This imaging technique could pinpoint the buildup of amyloid-beta in the brain. “That’s currently the gold standard for Alzheimer’s diagnosis,” Weiner notes.</p>
<p>NIH-funded research has continued to build on this advance. For example, a recent study found that using PET to image tau in the brain was even better at predicting future brain degeneration than measuring amyloid-beta. PET imaging of tau may also aid future clinical trials.</p>
<p>PET scans, however, are extremely expensive and require exposure to radiation. Other tests have become available that don’t require brain imaging. One type measures amyloid-beta levels in the cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF, instead. Though less expensive than PET scans, these tests require a lumbar puncture—the insertion of a needle into the spinal canal. This procedure must be done by a specialist, typically takes 30 to 60 minutes, and not everyone can have one.</p>
<p>Building on the promise of these methods, researchers have been working to develop quicker and easier tests for biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease. Blood tests would be ideal. “The advantages of a blood test are that it’s easy to obtain, it’s very fast, and it’s much cheaper,” Masliah says.</p>
<p>Such tests have the potential to greatly widen access to early diagnosis and treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. “Most people with Alzheimer’s disease are cared for by general practitioners, not specialty clinics,” Sperling explains. “If these blood tests are accurate, people who aren’t Alzheimer’s specialists could use them to figure out how best to care for patients.”</p>
<h3>Better tests for Alzheimer’s</h3>
<div class="media-float-right"><div class="media media-element-container media-floated_media"><div class="ds-1col file file-image file-image-jpeg view-mode-floated_media clearfix">
<picture title="Lysosome clusters around amyloid plaques." class="media-element">
<!--[if IE 9]><video style="display: none;"><![endif]-->
<source srcset="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-large/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240130-lysosome.jpg?itok=lNcCWhI8&amp;timestamp=1706550962 1x" media="screen and (min-width: 960px)"></source>
<source srcset="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-medium/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240130-lysosome.jpg?itok=MwlfFy_j&amp;timestamp=1706550962 1x" media="screen and (min-width: 800px)"></source>
<source srcset="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-medium-small/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240130-lysosome.jpg?itok=za3Fi2Cn&amp;timestamp=1706550962 1x" media="screen and (min-width: 600px)"></source>
<source srcset="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-small/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240130-lysosome.jpg?itok=fujv3AQt&amp;timestamp=1706550962 1x" media="screen and (min-width: 480px)"></source>
<source srcset="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-tiny/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240130-lysosome.jpg?itok=MUf8Q8FE&amp;timestamp=1706550962 1x" media="screen and (min-width: 0)"></source>
<!--[if IE 9]></video><![endif]-->
<img class="media-element" src="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-medium/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240130-lysosome.jpg?itok=MwlfFy_j&amp;timestamp=1706550962" alt="Immunofluorescence image of purple clusters around loose light blue clusters." title="Lysosome clusters around amyloid plaques." />
</picture><span class="caption">Lysosomes (purple) within nerve cells that surround amyloid plaques (light blue) in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. </span><span class="credit">Swetha Gowrishankar and Shawn Ferguson, Yale School of Medicine</span></div>
</div></div>
<p>The most obvious target for an Alzheimer’s blood test is amyloid-beta. Dysfunctional forms of this protein can build up in the brain long before damage to neurons occurs. Studies have found that these abnormal proteins can also make their way into the bloodstream.</p>
<p>An NIH-funded research team recently developed a test that could detect clumps of amyloid-beta in the bloodstream. It could distinguish these clumps from other types of amyloid that aren’t thought to harm the brain. The test proved better at predicting the later development of Alzheimer’s dementia than other more invasive tests.</p>
<p>Another candidate for a blood-based biomarker of Alzheimer’s is tau. Tau tangles in the brain are thought to occur later in Alzheimer’s disease, but blood tests for some forms of tau have shown promise for early detection. One type of tau, called p-tau-217, for example, has recently shown especially strong results.</p>
<p>Two recent NIH-funded studies found that blood tests for p-tau-217 identified, with about 90% accuracy, people with Alzheimer’s-related changes in the brain that were later verified by PET imaging.</p>
<p>Another class of promising biomarkers for Alzheimer’s are molecules that get released when neurons and other types of brain cells are damaged. Some of these molecules aren’t unique to Alzheimer’s and so might also be used for early diagnoses of different types of dementia.</p>
<h3>Tests for other dementias</h3>
<div class="media-float-left"><div class="media media-element-container media-floated_media"><div class="ds-1col file file-image file-image-jpeg view-mode-floated_media clearfix">
<picture title="Gloved hand holding a test tube with brain images in background" class="media-element">
<!--[if IE 9]><video style="display: none;"><![endif]-->
<source srcset="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-large/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240130-alz.jpeg?itok=Sn7a7O71&amp;timestamp=1706550962 1x" media="screen and (min-width: 960px)"></source>
<source srcset="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-medium/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240130-alz.jpeg?itok=97KyZZt5&amp;timestamp=1706550962 1x" media="screen and (min-width: 800px)"></source>
<source srcset="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-medium-small/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240130-alz.jpeg?itok=EkvXiwSz&amp;timestamp=1706550962 1x" media="screen and (min-width: 600px)"></source>
<source srcset="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-small/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240130-alz.jpeg?itok=qivpcu7e&amp;timestamp=1706550962 1x" media="screen and (min-width: 480px)"></source>
<source srcset="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-tiny/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240130-alz.jpeg?itok=Qk8mGeAc&amp;timestamp=1706550962 1x" media="screen and (min-width: 0)"></source>
<!--[if IE 9]></video><![endif]-->
<img class="media-element" src="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-medium/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240130-alz.jpeg?itok=97KyZZt5&amp;timestamp=1706550962" alt="Gloved hand holding a test tube with brain images in background" title="Gloved hand holding a test tube with brain images in background" />
</picture><span class="credit">Science RF / Adobe Stock</span></div>
</div></div>
<p>Other types of dementia may be rarer than Alzheimer’s but no less devastating. Potential biomarkers for the early detection of other forms of dementia include a protein called α-synuclein. This may be able to help diagnose Lewy body dementia, as well as Parkinson’s disease, which can also affect the brain. </p>
<p>Researchers have also been studying potential biomarkers for a group of disorders that have some similarities to Alzheimer’s, collectively known as frontotemporal disorders, or FTD. These rose in the public consciousness in 2023, when the family of actor Bruce Willis revealed his diagnosis.</p>
<p>Unlike Alzheimer’s, FTD tends to occur most often in those under the age of 65 and starts with behavior or language changes. But like Alzheimer’s, FTD can be difficult to diagnose before symptoms develop—and sometimes even afterward—especially in people with no family history of the disease.</p>
<p>Recently, NIH-funded researchers showed that blood tests for a protein called neurofilament light chain, or NfL, hold promise for early detection of FTD and related conditions, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. NfL is one of the proteins released when nerve cells in the brain or body are damaged.</p>
<p>“NfL won’t ever, on its own, be a diagnostic biomarker for any of the neurodegenerative diseases,” explains Dr. Tania Gendron, an FTD researcher at the Mayo Clinic. “However, there are some diseases, like FTD or ALS, that have symptoms that might be mimicked by other diseases that are not neurodegenerative. So what NfL could do is help facilitate a diagnosis by ruling out or ruling in neuronal injury.”</p>
<p>Gendron and her collaborators found that, among people who carried a genetic risk factor for FTD, NfL levels in the blood were higher in those who later developed symptoms compared with those who didn’t. Higher levels of NfL in blood samples taken at the start of the study were also associated with faster cognitive decline.</p>
<p>Having a test to catch FTD early would enable testing of treatments that aim to halt the disease before it causes substantial damage. But while NfL can detect neural damage, it can’t tell what molecular mechanisms set off that process. Many different genetic factors can affect FTD, and these will likely require different treatment strategies.</p>
<p>“We believe it's ideal to stop the molecular underpinnings of FTD as early as possible in its tracks,” Gendron explains. “It’s like one domino hits another domino, and then it just becomes chaos, like a snowball going down a mountain. So if you could halt the first key molecular events that trigger the disease, then you’d be better able to, hopefully, prevent worsening of that disease.”</p>
<h3>Improving diversity, improving accuracy</h3>
<div class="media-float-left"><div class="media media-element-container media-floated_media"><div class="ds-1col file file-image file-image-jpeg view-mode-floated_media clearfix">
<picture title="Senior man with his eyes closed embracing a woman while standing in nursing home." class="media-element">
<!--[if IE 9]><video style="display: none;"><![endif]-->
<source srcset="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-large/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240130-diversity.jpg?itok=dAg2T3qu&amp;timestamp=1706550962 1x" media="screen and (min-width: 960px)"></source>
<source srcset="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-medium/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240130-diversity.jpg?itok=RMsh2tti&amp;timestamp=1706550962 1x" media="screen and (min-width: 800px)"></source>
<source srcset="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-medium-small/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240130-diversity.jpg?itok=5XgPxsoF&amp;timestamp=1706550962 1x" media="screen and (min-width: 600px)"></source>
<source srcset="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-small/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240130-diversity.jpg?itok=GY2H5907&amp;timestamp=1706550962 1x" media="screen and (min-width: 480px)"></source>
<source srcset="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-tiny/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240130-diversity.jpg?itok=NeEwbUA3&amp;timestamp=1706550962 1x" media="screen and (min-width: 0)"></source>
<!--[if IE 9]></video><![endif]-->
<img class="media-element" src="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/floated_media_breakpoint-medium/public/news-events/research-matters/2024/20240130-diversity.jpg?itok=RMsh2tti&amp;timestamp=1706550962" alt="Senior man with his eyes closed embracing a woman while standing in nursing home." title="Senior man with his eyes closed embracing a woman while standing in nursing home." />
</picture><span class="credit">wavebreakmedia / Shutterstock</span></div>
</div></div>
<p>Several blood tests for Alzheimer’s disease have already received a type of certification called CLIA, which means the test reliably measures what it claims to measure. To date, none have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for guiding treatment. But the tests that have reached the CLIA stage are already being adopted by memory clinics and large, ongoing treatment studies, Sperling explains.</p>
<p>For example, Sperling’s team has been running large NIH-funded clinical trials of drugs to prevent the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. As imaging biomarkers have become more widespread, they’ve pushed the timeline for intervention earlier and earlier—from full-blown Alzheimer’s disease to its precursor, called mild cognitive impairment, and finally to people without any symptoms of cognitive decline.</p>
<p>For one of their ongoing studies, called AHEAD, “the first step for screening is now a blood test,” Sperling says. “In terms of therapeutics that target amyloid buildup, treating earlier is better, probably even before symptoms develop. And the blood-based biomarkers are pretty good at finding people at that early stage of amyloid buildup.”</p>
<p>One roadblock has been that such blood tests haven’t been widely tested in diverse populations, Weiner explains. In the past, biomarker tests for dementia have largely enrolled people from white, well-educated, relatively wealthy groups. “But these tests should be validated in populations that really look like America,” Weiner says.</p>
<p>The relationship between amyloid PET levels and dementia outcomes, for example, appears to vary across different populations. “We don’t really understand the relationship of amyloid PET to Alzheimer’s pathology in the Black population very well,” Weiner notes. That could lead to sub-optimal treatment for many patients.</p>
<p>For almost 20 years, Weiner and his team have been running a large NIH-funded study to improve biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease. In the last year, they’ve doubled participation among people from underrepresented groups.</p>
<p>“Underrepresented means Black, Latino, Asian/Pacific Islander, but also anyone with 12 years of education or less. And people from rural areas are also considered underrepresented,” he adds. His team hopes to eventually have more than half of their participants come from underrepresented groups. Having diversity during a test’s validation greatly increases its likelihood of being useful across populations.</p>
<p>Sperling’s group is also working to diversify their study participants. They noticed that many people from communities of color weren’t meeting the amyloid PET criteria for study participation, regardless of their symptoms. So this year, they started a new study that uses blood tests to explore what happens in the brains of people who have low levels of amyloid on PET scans but are at risk for developing dementia in the future.</p>
<p>The team hopes to find patterns in blood tests that will help inform future prevention strategies. “I think we’re getting closer to precision medicine,” Sperling says. “If amyloid is not the main contributor to Alzheimer’s symptoms in some communities, then we’ll need other drugs.”</p>
<p>Reliable, early biomarkers will also allow for the testing of strategies that may sound like science fiction today, such as anti-Alzheimer’s vaccines, Sperling explains. “That’s the future—that’s the way you’d be able to get preventive treatment to millions, or tens or hundreds of millions of people who need it.”</p>
<p>“What’s happening with biomarkers in Alzheimer’s disease is a real breakthrough; it has completely transformed the field,” Masliah says. “But I can’t stress enough the importance of people participating in these studies. All these breakthroughs have been not only due to the great work that the researchers are doing, but to the people who are volunteering to take part.”</p>
<p>Learn about joining a study of <a href="https://go.nih.gov/qqgcpyd">Alzheimer’s disease</a>.</p>
<p>—by Sharon Reynolds</p></div><h2 class="label-above">Related Links</h2><ul class="spaced print-urls"><li><a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/blood-test-early-alzheimer-s-detection" target="_top">Blood Test for Early Alzheimer’s Detection</a></li><li><a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/imaging-technique-shows-alzheimer-s-impact-brain-connections" target="_top">Imaging Technique Shows Alzheimer’s Impact on Brain Connections</a></li><li><a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/blood-marker-shows-potential-tracking-frontotemporal-dementia" target="_top">Blood Marker Shows Potential for Tracking Frontotemporal Dementia</a></li><li><a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/how-proteins-connect-common-neurodegenerative-diseases" target="_top">How Proteins Connect Common Neurodegenerative Diseases</a></li><li><a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/testing-blood-biomarker-neurodegeneration" target="_top">Testing a Blood Biomarker for Neurodegeneration</a></li><li><a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/boosting-brains-waste-removal-system-could-improve-alzheimers-outcomes" target="_top">Boosting Brain’s Waste Removal System Could Improve Alzheimer’s Outcomes</a></li><li><a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/study-reveals-how-apoe4-gene-may-increase-risk-dementia" target="_top">Study Reveals How APOE4 Gene May Increase Risk for Dementia</a></li><li><a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/blood-tests-show-promise-early-alzheimers-diagnosis" target="_top">Blood Tests Show Promise for Early Alzheimer’s Diagnosis</a></li><li><a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/alzheimers-gene-contributes-blood-brain-barrier-breakdown" target="_top">Alzheimer’s Gene Contributes to Blood-Brain Barrier Breakdown</a></li><li><a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/new-blood-test-method-may-predict-alzheimers-disease" target="_top">New Blood Test Method May Predict Alzheimer's Disease</a></li><li><a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/test-distinguishes-parkinsons-disease-related-condition" target="_top">Test Distinguishes Parkinson’s Disease from Related Condition</a></li><li><a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/predicting-alzheimers-disease-progression" target="_top">Predicting Alzheimer’s Disease Progression</a></li><li><a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/blood-brain-barrier-test-may-predict-dementia" target="_top">Blood-Brain Barrier Test May Predict Dementia</a></li><li><a href="https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/special-issues/seniors/dealing-dementia" target="_top">Dealing with Dementia</a></li><li><a href="https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-symptoms-and-diagnosis/how-biomarkers-help-diagnose-dementia" target="_top">How Biomarkers Help Diagnose Dementia</a></li><li><a href="https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-and-dementia" target="_top">Alzheimer's and Dementia</a></li><li><a href="https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/clinical-trials-and-studies/alzheimers-disease-research-centers" target="_top">Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers</a></li><li><a href="https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2023/06/what-are-frontotemporal-disorders" target="_top">What Are Frontotemporal Disorders?</a></li><li><a href="https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/frontotemporal-disorders" target="_top">Frontotemporal Disorders</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/frontotemporal-dementia-and-other-frontotemporal-disorders" target="_top">Frontotemporal Dementia and Other Frontotemporal Disorders</a></li></ul><p class="footnote"><strong class="label-inline">References:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31894103">Prospective longitudinal atrophy in Alzheimer's disease correlates with the intensity and topography of baseline tau-PET.</a> La Joie R, Visani AV, Baker SL, Brown JA, Bourakova V, Cha J, Chaudhary K, Edwards L, Iaccarino L, Janabi M, Lesman-Segev OH, Miller ZA, Perry DC, O'Neil JP, Pham J, Rojas JC, Rosen HJ, Seeley WW, Tsai RM, Miller BL, Jagust WJ, Rabinovici GD. <em>Sci Transl Med</em>. 2020 Jan 1;12(524). pii: eaau5732. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aau5732. PMID:31894103.<br /><br />
<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36490316/">SOBA: Development and testing of a soluble oligomer binding assay for detection of amyloidogenic toxic oligomers.</a> Shea D, Colasurdo E, Smith A, Paschall C, Jayadev S, Keene CD, Galasko D, Ko A, Li G, Peskind E, Daggett V. <em>Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A</em>. 2022 Dec 13;119(50):e2213157119. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2213157119. Epub 2022 Dec 9. PMID: 36490316.<br /><br />
<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32722745">Discriminative accuracy of plasma phospho-tau217 for Alzheimer disease vs other neurodegenerative disorders.</a> Palmqvist S, Janelidze S, Quiroz YT, Zetterberg H, Lopera F, Stomrud E, Su Y, Chen Y, Serrano GE, Leuzy A, Mattsson-Carlgren N, Strandberg O, Smith R, Villegas A, Sepulveda-Falla D, Chai X, Proctor NK, Beach TG, Blennow K, Dage JL, Reiman EM, Hansson O. <em>JAMA</em>. 2020 Jul 28. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.12134. Online ahead of print. PMID: 32722745.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32725127/">Blood plasma phosphorylated-tau isoforms track CNS change in Alzheimer's disease.</a> Barthélemy NR, Horie K, Sato C, Bateman RJ. <em>J Exp Med</em>. 2020 Nov 2;217(11):e20200861. doi: 10.1084/jem.20200861. PMID: 32725127.<br /><br />
<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35492244/">Comprehensive cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of plasma neurofilament light across FTD spectrum disorders</a>. Gendron TF, Heckman MG, White LJ, Veire AM, Pedraza O, Burch AR, Bozoki AC, Dickerson BC, Domoto-Reilly K, Foroud T, Forsberg LK, Galasko DR, Ghoshal N, Graff-Radford NR, Grossman M, Heuer HW, Huey ED, Hsiung GR, Irwin DJ, Kaufer DI, Leger GC, Litvan I, Masdeu JC, Mendez MF, Onyike CU, Pascual B, Ritter A, Roberson ED, Rojas JC, Tartaglia MC, Wszolek ZK, Rosen H, Boeve BF, Boxer AL; ALLFTD consortium, Petrucelli L. <em>Cell Reports Medicine</em>. 2022 Apr 19;3(4):100607. doi: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100607. eCollection 2022 Apr 19. PMID: 35492244.<br /><br />
<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34099648/">A multicentre validation study of the diagnostic value of plasma neurofilament light.</a> Ashton NJ, Janelidze S, Al Khleifat A, Leuzy A, van der Ende EL, Karikari TK, Benedet AL, Pascoal TA, Lleó A, Parnetti L, Galimberti D, Bonanni L, Pilotto A, Padovani A, Lycke J, Novakova L, Axelsson M, Velayudhan L, Rabinovici GD, Miller B, Pariante C, Nikkheslat N, Resnick SM, Thambisetty M, Schöll M, Fernández-Eulate G, Gil-Bea FJ, López de Munain A, Al-Chalabi A, Rosa-Neto P, Strydom A, Svenningsson P, Stomrud E, Santillo A, Aarsland D, van Swieten JC, Palmqvist S, Zetterberg H, Blennow K, Hye A, Hansson O. <em>Nat Commun.</em> 2021 Jun 7;12(1):3400. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-23620-z. PMID: 34099648.</p>
</div>
<div class="lastupdated">
</div> </div>
<aside class="l-region l-region--sidebar-second masonry-container">
<div id="block-ds-extras-in-this-edition" class="block block--ds-extras box block--ds-extras-in-this-edition" id="block-ds-extras-in-this-edition" class="block block--ds-extras box block--ds-extras-in-this-edition">
<h3 class="block__title">In this Edition</h3>
<div class="content" class="block__content">
<div class="view view-nih-rm-in-this-edition view-id-nih_rm_in_this_edition view-display-id-default view-dom-id-92bbd592adb50118562c8567cd797159">
<div class="view-content">
<div>
<p><a href="/news-events/nih-research-matters/research-context-diagnosing-dementia" class="active">Research in Context: Diagnosing dementia</a></p> </div>
</div>
</div> </div>
</div>
<div id="block-bean-research-matters-search" class="block block--bean box block--bean-research-matters-search" id="block-bean-research-matters-search" class="block block--bean box block--bean-research-matters-search">
<h3 class="block__title">Search NIH Research Matters</h3>
<div class="content" class="block__content">
<div about="/block/research-matters---search" class="ds-1col entity entity-bean bean-research-matters-block view-mode-default clearfix">
<!-- DigitalGov Search -->
<form id="directorsearch" accept-charset="UTF-8" action="https://search.nih.gov/search/docs" method="get" class="search-form">
<div class="input-wrapper">
<div style="margin:0;padding:0;display:inline"><input name="utf8" type="hidden" value="✓" /></div>
<input id="affiliate" name="affiliate" type="hidden" value="nih" />
<input type="hidden" name="dc" value="678" />
<label for="query2" class="hide">Search NIH Research Matters' stories</label>
<input autocomplete="off" class="usagov-search-autocomplete form-field form-field-search" id="query2" name="query" type="text" />
<input name="commit" type="submit" value="Go" id="searchbutton" class="form-button" />
</div>
</form>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div id="block-bean-research-matters-contact-us" class="block block--bean box block--bean-research-matters-contact-us" id="block-bean-research-matters-contact-us" class="block block--bean box block--bean-research-matters-contact-us">
<h3 class="block__title">Connect with Us</h3>
<div class="content" class="block__content">
<div about="/block/research-matters---contact-us" class="ds-1col entity entity-bean bean-research-matters-block view-mode-default clearfix">
<p><a class="button-link" href="https://service.govdelivery.com/accounts/USNIH/subscriber/new?topic_id=USNIH_48" onclick="window.open(this.href,'popup','width=725,height=500,left=25,top=25,location=no,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,status=yes');return false;">Subscribe to get NIH Research Matters by email</a></p>
<ul class="icon-list">
<li><a class="icon-link rss-monochrome" href="/nih-research-matters/feed.xml"><span class="icon"></span>RSS feed</a></li>
<li><a class="icon-link facebook-monochrome" href="https://www.facebook.com/ResearchMatters"><span class="icon"></span>Facebook</a></li>
<li><a class="icon-link email-monochrome" href="mailto:nihresearchmatters@od.nih.gov"><span class="icon"></span>Email us</a></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Mailing Address:</strong><br />
NIH Research Matters<br />
Bldg. 31, Rm. 5B52, MSC 2094<br />
Bethesda, MD 20892-2094</p></div>
</div>
</div>
<div id="block-bean-research-matters-popular-stori" class="block block--bean box block--bean-research-matters-popular-stori" id="block-bean-research-matters-popular-stori" class="block block--bean box block--bean-research-matters-popular-stori">
<h3 class="block__title">Popular Stories</h3>
<div class="content" class="block__content">
<div about="/block/research-matters---popular-stori" class="ds-1col entity entity-bean bean-research-matters-block view-mode-default clearfix">
<p><a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/research-context-can-we-slow-aging">Research in Context: Can we slow aging?</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/brain-changes-observed-during-pregnancy">Brain changes observed during pregnancy</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/research-context-detecting-cancer">Research in Context: Detecting cancer</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/risk-future-burden-dementia-united-states">Risk and future burden of dementia in the United States </a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/complete-wiring-map-adult-fruit-fly-brain">Complete wiring map of an adult fruit fly brain</a></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div id="block-bean-research-matters-about" class="block block--bean box block--bean-research-matters-about" id="block-bean-research-matters-about" class="block block--bean box block--bean-research-matters-about">
<h3 class="block__title">About NIH Research Matters</h3>
<div class="content" class="block__content">
<div about="/block/research-matters---about" class="ds-1col entity entity-bean bean-research-matters-block view-mode-default clearfix">
<p><strong>Editor:</strong> Harrison Wein, Ph.D.</p>
<p><strong>Assistant Editors:</strong> Vicki Contie and Brian Doctrow, Ph.D.</p>
<p><strong><em>NIH Research Matters </em></strong>is a weekly update of NIH research highlights reviewed by NIH’s experts. It's published by the <a href="/institutes-nih/nih-office-director/office-communications-public-liaison">Office of Communications and Public Liaison</a> in the <a href="/institutes-nih/nih-office-director">NIH Office of the Director</a>.</p>
<p>ISSN 2375-9593</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</aside>
</div>
<div class="l-connect-wrapper">
<div class="l-connect">
<h2 class="element-invisible">Connect with Us</h2>
<ul>
<li><a class="contactus-monochrome" href="/about-nih/contact-us"><span class="icon"></span>Contact Us</a></li>
<li><a class="twitter-monochrome" href="https://twitter.com/NIH"><span class="icon"></span>X</a></li>
<li><a class="facebook-monochrome" href="https://www.facebook.com/nih.gov"><span class="icon"></span>Facebook</a></li>
<li><a class="instagram-monochrome" href="https://www.instagram.com/nihgov/"><span class="icon"></span>Instagram</a></li>
<li><a class="youtube-monochrome" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/nihod"><span class="icon"></span>YouTube</a></li>
<li><a class="flickr-monochrome" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/nihgov/"><span class="icon"></span>Flickr</a></li>
<li><a class="social-monochrome" href="/news-events/social-media-outreach"><span class="icon"></span>More Social Media from NIH</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="l-footer-wrapper">
<footer class="l-footer" role="contentinfo">
<h2 class="element-invisible">Footer</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="/">NIH Home</a></li>
<li><a href="/virtual-tour">Virtual Tour</a></li>
<li><a href="https://salud.nih.gov">En Español</a></li>
<li><a href="/about-nih/visitor-information">Visitor Information</a></li>
<li><a href="/about-nih/frequently-asked-questions">Frequently Asked Questions</a></li>
<li><a href="/privacy-policy">Privacy Policy</a></li>
<li><a href="/disclaimers">Disclaimers</a></li>
<li><a href="/accessibility">Accessibility</a></li>
<li><a href="/nih-website-archives">NIH Website Archives</a></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="/nondiscrimination-notice">Nondiscrimination Notice</a></li>
<li><a href="/institutes-nih/nih-office-director/office-communications-public-liaison/freedom-information-act-office">Freedom of Information Act</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.edi.nih.gov/no-fear-act">No Fear Act</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.hhs.gov/vulnerability-disclosure-policy/index.html">HHS Vulnerability Disclosure</a></li>
<li><a href="https://oig.hhs.gov">Office of Inspector General</a></li>
<li><a class="lastTab" href="https://www.usa.gov/">USA.gov</a></li>
</ul>
<p>NIH&hellip;Turning Discovery Into Health<sup>&reg;</sup></p>
<p>National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Maryland 20892</p>
<p><a href="https://www.hhs.gov">U.S. Department of Health and Human Services</a></p>
</footer>
</div>
<div class="back-to-top"><a href="#"><span class="icon-arrow-up"></span><span class="text">Back to Top</span></a></div>
</div>
</div>
<script src="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/js/js_7Ukqb3ierdBEL0eowfOKzTkNu-Le97OPm-UqTS5NENU.js"></script>
<script src="https://www.nih.gov/sites/default/files/js/js_E9yUYWK8EMydR0HMIp2PahVxPAClXyH0Cnh782A15UM.js"></script>
</body>
</html>
Reference in a new issue View git blame Copy permalink