Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common cause of dementia, a syndrome affecting today approximately 40-50 million people worldwide and is estimated to reach 100 million in 2050.

There is no cure for Alzheimer’s, but symptoms are managed by treatment with Memantine or alike, which stimulate synaptic responses and thereby keep the cognitive abilities active as long as the neurons are still alive. All attempts at the development of a disease-modifying therapy have so far failed.

Current diagnosis includes tests of cognition, which assess to what extent the subject is showing signs of neuronal loss. To confirm the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, either measurement of Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers p-Tau and Abeta1-42 in CSF, or assessment of plaque load in the brain by amyloid-PET is needed; however, these tools are complex and are not used in subjects prior to symptom onset, i.e. when it is too late to halt it by treatment.

Early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease include memory loss, difficulty concentrating, confusion with time or place, trouble with language, and changes in mood or behavior. These signs may progress gradually and should prompt further medical evaluation.

Alzheimer’s diagnosis traditionally involves clinical assessments and imaging, but biomarkers like P-Tau, Ab1-42, and Tau-C can help detect disease earlier by measuring protein changes associated with neurodegeneration in cerebrospinal fluid and blood.

Advances in blood-based biomarkers enable detection of active neurodegeneration and can be used to assess risk, monitor disease progression, and support early intervention strategies.