New Alzheimer’s Treatments Useless Without Early Diagnosis

Dementia: The Leading Cause of Death in the UK

Alarming Statistics

“The statistics are frightening: Dementia is the biggest killer in the UK. It has been the leading cause of death for women since 2011,” says Hilary Evans, CEO of Alzheimer’s Research UK.

Hope on the Horizon

Evans remains optimistic despite the grim statistics. Currently, there are more than 140 clinical trials underway for potential Alzheimer’s treatments. These range from compounds that remove toxic proteins to drugs that restore brain cell function.

“I’m in my mid-forties and I really think our generation will benefit from the progress that we are now witnessing,” says Evans. “Developing safer and more effective drugs is really a matter of when and not if.”

Challenges in Diagnosis

Early Detection is Crucial

Evans is concerned that new treatments will be ineffective if patients do not receive timely and accurate diagnoses. Recent research in the New England Journal of Medicine indicates that Alzheimer’s can begin 20 years before symptoms appear.

“New treatments will rely on the diagnosis of people earlier on in the disease,” Evans says.

Current Diagnostic Methods

Diagnosis methods have not improved significantly in over two decades. Pen-and-paper cognitive tests are still the most common, and only 2 percent of patients undergo the gold standard tests—lumbar puncture and PET brain scans. Read more about blood tests for Alzheimer’s.

National Diagnosis Targets

The UK government has set a national dementia diagnosis target at 67 percent of patients, but this target is often missed. On average, patients wait two years for a diagnosis, and for those under 65, the wait can be up to four years.

“One in three people with dementia in England never get a diagnosis at all,” Evans says. “This isn’t something we would accept in any other health condition.”

Innovative Diagnostic Approaches

Digital Cognitive Tests

Introducing accurate digital cognitive tests could allow real-time evaluations and faster access to care.

AI and Eye Tests

Researchers at Moorfields Eye Hospital are developing AI algorithms to screen for Alzheimer’s through eye tests.

“The retina is a particularly attractive target because it’s closely related to brain tissue and can be examined noninvasively during routine eye checks,” Evans says.

Blood Biomarkers

Alzheimer’s UK is also supporting research to find blood biomarkers for the disease.

“Research has shown that a blood test could be as effective as a standard lumbar puncture and a brain scan, and it could be used as an initial triaging tool,” she says. “People are naturally much keener to take a blood test than something that’s very invasive. This could revolutionize the way that dementia is diagnosed.”

This article appears in the July/August 2024 issue of The Zero Byte UK magazine.