Norway begins using blood tests to identify Alzheimer’s brain changes

(MENAFN) Norway has begun using blood tests to detect brain changes linked to Alzheimer’s disease for the first time, according to reports. The tests, now offered at hospitals to patients experiencing cognitive symptoms, measure levels of a protein associated with the condition.

A study involving over 11,000 blood samples from individuals aged 57 and older found that roughly one in three Norwegians over 70 show Alzheimer’s-related brain changes, with more than 60% of those above 90 affected. Experts note that the blood test provides a simpler and less invasive alternative to earlier diagnostic methods, which required spinal taps.

Plans are in progress to expand access to the test through general practitioners, potentially enabling earlier detection and preventive care. New drugs designed to slow Alzheimer’s progression, including Leqembi and Kisunla, are also expected to undergo evaluation in Norway, though challenges such as cost and hospital-based administration remain.

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