The Future of Cognitive Testing: Blood-Based Biomarkers

In August last year, Scottish Brain Sciences and Roche Diagnostics created waves within the cognitive testing world. 

By using blood based bio-markers (biological indicators of the body's internal condition), researchers will be now able to learn more about the early indicators of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. If detected, this could help patients get treatment sooner, preventing late-stage dementia.

Early studies have shown that these bio-markers are incredibly sensitive at identifying early indicators, even before the more well-known signs such as memory loss appear. 

In early 2024, blood tests for Alzheimer’s could be available on the NHS within five years thanks to a £5M project, ‘Blood Biomarker Challenge’, led by Alzheimer’s Research UK, the Alzheimer’s Society and the National Institute of Health and Care Research.

Currently, diagnosis can be incredibly hard, involving brain imaging or invasive lumbar punctures. According to NHS England, less than two-thirds of people in the country end up having a correct dementia diagnosis and many would prefer less daunting and invasive methods of testing.

Indeed, things are looking up in the cognitive testing world. The tides are turning upon Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. The days of early and less-invasive diagnosis are very nearly upon us.

We are delighted to announce that we have John E. Harrison and Alison Green speaking on our ‘Cognitive Testing in Clinical Drug Trials: Successful Test Selection and Integration’ in September. The course will explore the emerging blood-based biomarker breakthrough, with examples of both successful and failed case studies, before concluding with recommendations for cognitive test selection and its successful integration into clinical drug trials. 

Like the sound of it? Here’s what else you could learn…

• Understand the increasing importance of cognitive testing in clinical drug trials
• Explore more about cognitive test selection and how to successfully integrate cognitive assessment in therapeutic development programmes
• Dive into the science behind the development of BBBMs for AD
• Learn more about how these BBBM may change Alzheimer’s disease is diagnosis and improve recruitment into therapeutic clinical trials
• Obtain an opportunity to the impact these BBBM may have on diagnostic and therapeutic pathways with an expert in the field
• Gain an opportunity to discuss the complexities of cognitive assessment with two experts in this field

You can join us on our course, Cognitive Testing in Clinical Drug Trials - Successful Test Selection and Integration, which takes place multiple times throughout the year.

Resources:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-66491051

https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/news/a-five-year-project-to-bring-alzheimers-blood-tests-to-the-nhs/ 

Published on Aug 03, 2024 by Ella Thomas