Alzheimer's treatment monitoring may soon be possible via blood biomarkers

Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine have identified dozens of blood proteins that change during treatment for Alzheimer's disease. The study, involving nearly 200 patients receiving the anti-amyloid treatment lecanemab (marketed as Leqembi), suggests these biomarkers could eventually allow clinicians to monitor treatment efficacy through blood tests rather than relying solely on expensive brain scans.

While anti-amyloid treatments can slow the progression of Alzheimer's by removing amyloid protein clusters, they do not cure the disease. Identifying specific protein levels that reflect brain health during treatment could provide a more accessible way to track how individual patients are responding to the medication.