Blood test to detect Alzheimer's could be available within two years

A new blood test to detect early signs of Alzheimer’s is being developed with the help of Irish scientists and could be on the market by 2026. This breakthrough is one of several significant advances in the battle to slow the progression of the debilitating disease

Blood tests are becoming as reliable as scans in determining if potentially damaging plaques are present in the brain. Picture: iStock

Could a blood test for Alzheimer’s be within reach? Experts predict that it might be a reality within two years, since it has become possible to pinpoint the accumulation of toxic molecules in the brain through changes in the blood.

Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia, defined by memory loss and confusion, is associated with the formation of plaques and tangles in the brain, created by the accumulation of two proteins — amyloid and tau.