“If we can activate the body’s own immune system at an earlier stage of the disease, it might be possible to slow down its progression before it develops into full-blown dementia,” he adds.
A great leap for diagnostics
The study suggests that the activity of the peripheral immune system may play a crucial role in the body’s defense against Alzheimer’s by preventing the accumulation of harmful proteins in the brain.
The new method uses an advanced type of blood test analysis that is particularly sensitive to the early stages of the disease. This is a major breakthrough compared to current diagnostic tools, such as PET scans, which can usually only spot the disease once it is at an advanced stage.
“Our hope is that these discoveries can pave the way for new strategies in the fight against Alzheimer’s. By understanding how the immune system can be mobilized against early stages of the disease, we might be able to develop therapies that can intervene much earlier than current treatment options,” says Kristian Juul-Madsen.
International attention
The results of the study have received international attention, and the research team behind the discovery is already planning follow-up projects to test the new method in a larger patient group.
The research team is also trying to understand the exact mechanisms behind the immune system’s ability to fight the early signs of Alzheimer’s, which could be key to developing even more effective treatments in the future.
“The biggest challenge in transferring our research to the clinic is that it takes a long time to test the beneficial effect of activating the immune system, as Alzheimer’s is known to develop very slowly and you need to intervene at a very early stage,” explains Kristian Juul-Madsen.
While the study is promising for the fight against Alzheimer’s, it also raises some ethical concerns. After all, what will an early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s mean for patients and their families when there is currently no effective treatment for the disease?
ReadMore: https://scitechdaily.com/a-big-step-toward-new-treatments-scientists-discover-method-to-identify-alzheimers-disease-before-it-progresses-to-dementia/
By AARHUS UNIVERSITY
