Blood Test Could Detect Proteins Linked to Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Loss

Alzheimer’s disease has long been associated with sticky amyloid plaques in the brain, but these markers alone do not fully explain the memory loss and cognitive decline patients experience. Doctors face difficulty diagnosing and understanding the disease because many biological processes may contribute beyond what is visible in the brain. A new study reveals that proteins circulating in the blood may provide critical insights into Alzheimer’s development and its impact on memory.

The study, led by researchers at the Emory Goizueta Brain Health Institute (Atlanta, GA, USA), in collaboration with partner institutions, analyzed blood samples from more than 2,100 individuals across four large cohorts. Using advanced proteomic tools, researchers measured thousands of proteins and linked them to brain and cognitive changes. The study design allowed scientists to capture signals from immune activity, protein disposal, energy use, and extracellular matrix support systems, all tied to thinking and memory function.

Image: The study has linked blood proteins to Alzheimer’s disease and memory loss (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

Researchers found that many blood proteins associated with cognitive decline were not directly linked to known Alzheimer’s brain changes. Elevated proteins in immune and metabolic pathways correlated strongly with memory loss, highlighting disease mechanisms beyond amyloid plaques. The findings, published in Nature Aging, point toward previously overlooked biological factors that may influence the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s.

The discovery opens possibilities for developing blood-based diagnostic tests that provide a less invasive way to detect and track Alzheimer’s. By targeting these newly identified pathways, scientists may also design treatments that work outside the brain, broadening the therapeutic landscape. The work supports building tools to monitor disease progression and paves the way for interventions that address systemic processes contributing to Alzheimer’s.

“This study advances our understanding of proteins in the blood that change with Alzheimer’s disease,” said Dr. Allan Levey, Executive Director of the Goizueta Brain Health Institute at Emory University. “This work is foundational to the development of blood tests for detecting different pathologies that occur in the brain along with amyloid plaques, and for clinical translation.”

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Emory Goizueta Brain Health Institute