Alzheimer’s society calls on doctors to use newer early diagnostic testing due to improvements

(NEW YORK) -- New treatments and simple blood tests could change how doctors detect and treat Alzheimer's disease, according to a new report from the Alzheimer's Association.

Blood tests to detect Alzheimer's are not yet approved for everyday use, but in research studies, they have improved the accuracy of diagnosis by up to 91%. Right now, doctors rely on brain scans called PET scans to find amyloid plaques or do a spinal tap to check for abnormal levels of proteins like beta-amyloid and tau.

These tests are expensive, invasive and not always easy to access. Blood tests could make it much simpler to find early signs of the disease and be more widely available.

"If you get a diagnosis early, you're actually able to access treatments that you cannot take later on in the disease process," Elizabeth Edgerly, PhD, a clinical psychologist and Alzheimer's Association spokesperson, said in an interview with ABC News.

The report highlights that diagnosing Alzheimer's earlier could open the door to treatments when they have the best chance of working, helping people stay mentally sharper for longer and giving families more time to plan for the future.

In the past two years, the FDA has approved two new drugs -- Leqembi and Kisunla -- that can slow the progression of early Alzheimer's. While they are not cures, they can help people preserve memory and thinking skills longer, offering more time with a better quality of life.

This marks a major shift from older Alzheimer's treatments, which could only manage symptoms without slowing down the disease much. However, these new drugs carry significant challenges, including high costs, the need for frequent brain scans to monitor serious side effects and the risk of swelling or bleeding in the brain. In addition, only people in the early stages of Alzheimer's are eligible to receive these treatments.

"Ultimately, we would love to see an array of treatments that are available that tackle different aspects of Alzheimer's, different factors that are contributing to it," Edgerly said.

She noted that more than 140 different treatments are now in development, aiming to target different symptoms and stages of the disease.

The report also lays out an updated understanding of Alzheimer's risk factors, dividing them into two categories. Some risks -- like age, genetics and family history -- cannot be changed. Others -- including diet, exercise, blood pressure, cholesterol, hearing and vision health -- are within a person's control. Addressing the modifiable risks can have a significant impact on a person's Alzheimer's risk, the report noted.

In fact, Edgerly said that nearly half of all dementias could be preventable by taking better care of modifiable risks earlier in life.

"I could help reduce my risk of getting Alzheimer's in later life if I'm really good about treating high blood pressure in my 40s and 30s," she explained.

The report also announced the launch of ALZ-NET, a new nationwide tracking system that follows patients in real time to collect data on the long-term safety and effectiveness of the new medications, and to better understand who benefits most from early intervention.

Alzheimer's disease, the most common cause of dementia, is a neurodegenerative condition that can start developing 20 years before symptoms appear. It is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S.

Currently, more than 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's, many of whom remain undiagnosed, according to the report. By the year 2060, that number is expected to grow to more than 13 million.

Edgerly said she hoped that faster diagnosis and earlier access to treatment will improve care for Alzheimer's and other dementia patients.

"The opportunities it would present to find people earlier in the process without having to go through six months or a year to get to that diagnosis would make a huge difference in helping people access treatments during the timeframe where they could be helpful," she said.

Dr. Allen Chang is the chief resident of the Geriatric Medicine Subspecialty Residency Program at Dalhousie University and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit.

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