A new blood test capable of identifying specific biomarkers for diseases like FTD, ALS, and PSP has been developed in Germany, offering hope for earlier diagnosis and more effective treatments for these serious neurodegenerative disorders. In a study with 991 adults, German scientists show that the most common forms of frontotemporal dementia as well as the neurological diseases amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and progressive supranuclear palsy can be recognized by blood testing. Their procedure is not yet ready for routine medical use, but in the long term, it could facilitate disease diagnosis and advance the development of new therapies.
The findings published in the journal Nature Medicine are based on the measurement of certain proteins in the blood, which serve as biomarkers. Overview of Neurodegenerative Diseases Frontotemporal dementia (FTD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) form a spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases with overlapping symptoms characterized by dementia, behavioral symptoms, paralysis and muscle wasting, movement impairment and other serious impairments. In Germany, it is estimated that up to 60,000 people are affected by one of these diseases.
Although they are relatively rare, their consequences for health are nevertheless severe. “As yet, there is no cure for any of these diseases. And, with current methods, it is not possible to reach a conclusive diagnosis of the molecular pathology of these diseases .
