Alzheimer Disease Blood Biomarkers

The podcast explores the use of blood biomarkers in diagnosing and managing Alzheimer's disease, featuring Dr. Stephen Salloway. It highlights two JAMA articles, one showing that Alzheimer's-specific biomarkers in midlife can predict late-life dementia, and another evaluating a plasma biomarker test's accuracy in identifying Alzheimer's pathology in symptomatic patients within primary and specialty care settings. The discussion emphasizes that while blood tests can improve diagnostic accuracy, especially with new anti-amyloid treatments, they should be used in conjunction with clinical evaluation, considering potential Alzheimer's mimics. The potential of blood tests to screen candidates for anti-amyloid monoclonal antibody treatments is also addressed, alongside the need for increased resources in primary care to support effective implementation.