US EditionRemote Alzheimer's testing: At-home blood tests can accurately detect key biomarkers
The study found finger-prick blood tests detected Alzheimer's biomarkers with 86% accuracy, enabling remote participation and broader research inclusion, say researchers.
- On January 5, 2026, the study published in Nature Medicine showed at-home finger-prick dried blood spots mailed without refrigeration accurately detect Alzheimer's biomarkers.
- Because brain scans and spinal fluid tests are invasive and costly, researchers aimed to enable large-scale remote testing including people with Down syndrome and underserved populations.
- In the trial of 337 people, the DROP-AD project showed p-tau217 matched standard tests with 86% accuracy, while GFAP and NfL also strongly agreed with traditional tests.
- Participants collected samples themselves after instructions, removing logistical constraints and enabling worldwide research participation, remote clinical trials, and inclusion of remote and underrepresented communities by the University of Exeter Medical School.
- Researchers cautioned that the technique is not ready for clinical use and requires more validation, while practical challenges like sample handling and storage remain; the approach also shows promise for NfL in other neurodegenerative diseases.
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MedPage Today
Anti-Aging, Acupuncture and Health NewsSimple Finger-Prick Test Identifies Alzheimer's Disease
(MedPage Today) -- Measurements of phosphorylated tau 217 (p-tau217) in dried plasma spots (DPS) identified people with Alzheimer's disease nearly as well as venous blood, data from the DROP-AD project suggested. Correlations between DPS p-tau217...
Remote Alzheimer's testing: At-home blood tests can accurately detect key biomarkers
A new international study has demonstrated that Alzheimer's disease biomarkers can be accurately detected using simple finger-prick blood samples that can be collected at home and mailed to laboratories without refrigeration or prior processing.
A few drops of blood obtained with a finger prick and dried on a card can be used to detect key signs of Alzheimer's disease, according to a study published in the journal 'Nature Medicine'. This method, much simpler and less invasive than current techniques, could facilitate diagnosis and expand access to testing in environments where traditional procedures are difficult to apply.Alzhéimer's diagnosis is usually confirmed by costly and invasive…
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