Allal Boutjankout's Blood Test Enables Early Alzheimer's Detection

A research team led by Moroccan neurologist Allal Boutjankout, together with NYU professor Thomas Wisniewski, has demonstrated that a simple blood test can identify early biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease. The test measures plasma levels of beta‑amyloid, tau and several inflammation‑related proteins, which were shown to correlate tightly with brain amyloid and tau deposits observed on PET scans.

The study examined three participant groups—cognitively normal individuals, those with subjective memory complaints, and patients with mild cognitive impairment—and found that the blood markers can signal disease onset eight to ten years before clinical symptoms appear. Researchers say the approach could allow earlier therapeutic intervention, reduce diagnostic costs compared with advanced imaging, and may be extended to other neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s disease.