Blood test for Alzheimer's rolled out as part of 'landmark' study

A blood test which could detect early signs of Alzheimer's is being rolled out to patients via their GP as part of a "landmark" study.

More than 50 practices in Scotland are taking part in the research, with up to 500 people to be referred. An estimated 60,000 people across the country have Alzheimer's, a type of dementia affecting memory, thinking, and behaviour.

The tests, developed by Roche Diagnostics, are known as p-tau181 and p-tau217.

When found in the blood, these proteins reflect changes in the brain associated with Alzheimer's and may detect or rule out the condition more quickly and accurately than existing memory tests or scans.

Experts hope it will lead to people accessing the right treatment, care and support at an earlier stage.

"Elevated levels of the protein pTau in blood indicate that people have Alzheimer's disease-associated pathology in their brains," explained Professor Tara Spires-Jones, professor of neurodegeneration at the University of Edinburgh.

"While not everyone with this pathology will go on to develop dementia, people with cognitive symptoms and a positive blood test are likely in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, meaning this test will help with diagnosis.

"This will be particularly important in the future as it is likely that new treatments will become available that can remove Alzheimer's pathology from the brain and slow disease progression."

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The project has been named Bringing Alzheimer's Disease Biomarkers to General Practice (BriDGe) and is led by Scottish Brain Sciences (SBS).

Professor Craig Ritchie, chief executive and founder at SBS, described blood tests for Alzheimer's as "one of the most exciting developments in dementia research in a generation".

He continued: "We now need to understand how they work in real-world healthcare.

"By partnering with 50 GPs and up to 500 patients, BriDGe will show how these tests could transform the way we detect, diagnose and ultimately treat Alzheimer's disease."

(c) Sky News 2026: Blood test for Alzheimer's rolled out as part of 'landmark' study