A Simple Blood Test Could Predict Dementia Risk 25 Years Early

A study recently published in JAMA Network Open investigated phosphorylated tau 217 (p-tau217) as a blood marker linked to Alzheimer’s disease.

The analysis included 2,766 women from the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study who were 65–79 years old at enrollment and had normal cognition at the start.

Researchers followed the participants for up to 25 years.

Higher baseline p-tau217 levels were associated with greater likelihood of developing dementia later, with the signal appearing as much as 25 years before diagnosis in some cases.

The long lead time suggests p-tau217 could enable earlier prevention strategies and more targeted monitoring.