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Indian-origin neurologist leads study to transform dementia diagnosis
Keshavan said that proteins associated with different forms of dementia, notably Alzheimer's disease, can now be identified in blood samples
Ashvini Keshavan / Image - LinkedIn - Ashvini Keshavan
An Indian-origin neurologist is among a prestigious research team in the UK that recently received a significant grant to further develop potential blood tests for dementia. The grant aims to build upon recent breakthroughs in this area and gather the necessary evidence to enable wider use of these tests within the next five years.
Ashvini Keshavan, a Senior Clinical Research Fellow and Honorary Consultant Neurologist at University College London (UCL), is collaborating with a team to advance research on a promising biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease known as p-tau217.
Another team comprising researchers from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge will explore different proteins to detect various forms of dementia. These teams aim to recruit participants from multiple sites across the UK, with the ultimate goal of making these tests cost-effective and available through the National Health Service (NHS) in the future.
Keshavan mentioned that proteins associated with different forms of dementia, notably Alzheimer's disease, can now be identified in blood samples. The research funded by the Blood Biomarker Challenge grant aims to assess the utility of blood tests in real-world scenarios in the UK. These studies will evaluate whether blood tests can effectively confirm the presence or absence of these diseases in individuals experiencing early-stage dementia or mild cognitive decline.
"We want to ensure that our research will reflect the UK’s ethnic and socioeconomic diversity and are aiming to broaden access to these tests, as the current gold standard tests to confirm the presence of these diseases are currently not accessible to most UK patients because they are either expensive or invasive," she said.
The Blood Biomarker Challenge, a significant grant supported by Alzheimer’s Society, Alzheimer’s Research UK, the UK’s National Institute for Health Research, and Gates Ventures, along with contributions from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, aims to advance dementia research. One of the studies funded by this grant is ADAPT, led by UCL, focusing on plasma p-tau217 as a blood marker for Alzheimer’s disease. ADAPT seeks to determine if incorporating the results of this test alongside standard memory clinic assessments can enhance Alzheimer’s diagnosis rates
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