Diagnostic challenges for dementia in Australia: are blood‐based biomarkers the solution?

Abstract

The burden of dementia will increase as the Australian population ages and grows in coming decades. Early and accurate diagnosis remains challenging, and disproportionately so for particular groups, including rural communities. Recent advances in technology, however, now allow reliable measurement of blood biomarkers that could improve diagnosis in a range of settings. We discuss the most promising biomarker candidates for translation into clinical practice and research in the near future.

Diagnostic utility of plasma ptau217, ptau181, GFAP for Alzheimer disease in a heterogeneous younger onset dementia clinical cohort

“…In recent years there have been significant developments in identifying blood biomarkers which can provide simple, accurate, widely available, and easily accessible diagnostic tests for people with dementia. Such blood-based diagnostic biomarkers could markedly increase worldwide access and adoption, with significant positive impacts for individual patients, their families, but also with wider healthcare systems and public health implications [1,2]. Two promising diagnostic biomarkers for Alzheimer disease have been phosphorylated tau 217 (ptau217 ) and phosphorylated tau 181 (ptau181), with the former holding promise to be the 'simple blood test for Alzheimer disease' [3][4][5][6][7][8][9].…”