Blood test trials hunt for holy grail of NHS dementia treatment

Biomarkers could pave way for quicker and better care

- MARTIN BAGOT

THOUSANDS of people are to be offered blood tests to check for dementia in a trial to find one that can be rolled out on the NHS.

A blood test for Alzheimer's has been the holy grail for researchers and several have been shown to work in lab tests.

The £ 10 million Blood Biomarker Challenge will evaluate if any are effective enough in real-world patients to justify routine population screening.

It could lead to earlier, more targeted treatments such as new drugs and lifestyle changes for patients for whom irreversible brain damage has yet to ravage their thinking and memory.

Current NHS methods for diagnosis include extensive cognitive tests and PET scans or invasive lumbar puncture procedures to test the spinal fluid.