BACE1 Biomarker Test for Alzheimer's Disease

A new biomarker test may allow physicians to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease before a patient even begins to show symptoms. Early knowledge of who is at risk for Alzheimer’s disease allows researchers to study methods to prevent the disease and develop early treatment methods. Early treatment may help patients live longer and have more healthy years of life.

Currently, tests for Alzheimer’s disease include blood and urine tests, cognitive tests, and PET scans. None of these tests is definitive, and none of them can be used before a patient begins to show symptoms. Predicting who gets Alzheimer’s disease would allow researchers to perform prevention

trials. Early interventions would also allow patients to begin treatment at an earlier stage of disease progression, increasing the number of quality years they have.

An enzyme known as BACE1 has been found in higher concentrations in people with Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers in the United States, Ireland, and Germany have found that the higher a person’s BACE1 activity, the higher their level of beta-amyloid. Beta-amyloid is the main cause of plaque that clogs the brain and causes Alzheimer’s disease.

Currently, the test for BACE1 requires a spinal tap, but scientists are searching for a way to perform the same tests using a blood sample. Since a spinal tap is a painful procedure that can cause headaches and other side effects, it does not make a very good screening instrument. A simple blood draw would be safer and could be performed on a greater number of individuals.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. Symptoms include problems with memory, thinking, and making judgments. These symptoms make it hard for a person to participate in everyday activities. While there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, treatments help patients go about their everyday lives for longer than they would be able to do without treatment.

Alzheimer’s disease is

one of several central nervous system (CNS) disorders. CNS is a broad category of disorders that include diseases affecting the brain, spinal cord, cranial nerves, peripheral nerves, nerve roots, the autonomic nervous system, and muscles. Examples of other diseases that fit into this category include Tourette syndrome, Parkinson Disease, and Huntington Disease.