In a recent review published in the journal Nature Reviews Neurology , a group of authors outlined the factors necessary for the widespread implementation and interpretation of Alzheimer's disease (AD) blood-based biomarkers (BBMs) at the population level. Study: Alzheimer disease blood biomarkers: considerations for population-level use . Image Credit: nobeastsofierce / Shutterstock Due to rising life expectancies, the global population aged 60 and older is increasing, currently comprising about 12% of the total population.
As age is the most potent risk factor for AD and related dementias (ADRD), the number of diagnosed cases is projected to rise from 57.4 million in 2019 to over 152 million by 2050. High-income countries, already with long life expectancies, will see less dramatic increases in AD/ADRD compared to low- and middle-income countries experiencing rapid life expectancy growth.
This global rise in AD/ADRD has intensified efforts for early detection, diagnosis, and identification of effective treatments to delay disease onset. Further research is needed to optimize the implementation and interpretation of ADBBM across diverse populations and healthcare settings. AD has traditionally been defined by clinical symptoms like amnestic memory impairment and confirmed at autopsy by amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tau tangles.
Clinical symptoms alone cannot indicate AD pathology, as memory impairment could result from various conditions, including other neurodegenerat.