Hopes raised for early blood test to help fight Alzheimer’s disease

Studies measuring levels of the protein tau in blood offer hope of developing treatments

Scientists say they have made progress towards a test for Alzheimer's that could help researchers in the hunt for treatments for the disease.

Several studies, presented at a conference in Chicago, showed it was possible to measure the levels of a protein called tau in the blood. Tau and another protein called amyloid have been targets for developing tests and treatments for Alzheimer's for many years. They form clusters known as tangles and plaques in the brain that are well-known features of the disease.