A finger-prick blood test has been developed to screen people for Alzheimer’s Disease.
Engineers at Monash University said the handheld device delivered “needle-in-a hay-stack” precision to detect biomarkers in early Alzheimer’s Disease before symptoms progressed.
Associate Professor Sudha Mokkapati said the device was the size of a credit card and used world-first patented sensor technology that could detect ultra-low concentrations of disease markers in blood in minutes.
Professor Mokkapati said with the number of Australians diagnosed with dementia set to double by 2054, the quick blood test could become a vital tool to streamline diagnoses by giving GPs unprecedented access to non-invasive diagnostics.
He said the electronic sensor removed the need for laboratory-based pathology tests, making the process to diagnosis faster and more cost-effective.
“It’s simple to use, low-cost and portable so it could be made widely accessible to GPs to screen patients right at the point-of-care. Detecting very early disease in large populations could dramatically change the trajectory of this burdening disease for many patients, and shave millions off associated healthcare costs.”
Key collaborator Associate Professor Matthew Pase said the device could facilitate earlier, more efficient diagnosis, enabling timely intervention and management of Alzheimer’s Disease.
“Most patients with neurodegenerative disease are typically diagnosed at advanced stages. Sadly, treatments targeting late-onset disease provide limited therapeutic benefit,” Professor Pase said.
“Earlier screening could change the outlook for many patients diagnosed with cognitive impairment, increasing the chance of halting or slowing symptom development and the rapid progression of the disease.”
