How to detect cognitive decline before permanent brain damage occurs

Dementia remains a syndrome caused by various diseases that destroy nerve cells and damage the brain. According to the World Health Organisation, nearly 10 million new cases appear annually.

Dr Jeremy London, a board-certified heart surgeon with 25 years of experience, highlighted a significant breakthrough in an Instagram post shared on Friday.

He explained that a new blood test has been developed to identify individuals at risk for dementia by measuring a specific protein called p-tau 217.

Traditional detection often happens only after permanent damage exists. However, this test is 90 percent accurate and provides a vital window for intervention.

The surgeon noted, “There's a new blood test out that can actually assess your risk of dementia. And I found this really interesting. You know, most of us worry about heart disease, cancer, and dementia. But early detection of dementia has always been a challenge. Most patients aren't diagnosed until they have memory loss and brain damage.”

How does the blood test work

The procedure monitors abnormal protein fragments that enter the bloodstream as brain cells malfunction.

Dr Jeremy explained, “This new blood test detects P-Tau 217, which sounds really complicated, but it's not. The P-Tau 217 protein helps neurons actually function properly.”

He added, “As it becomes abnormal, the neurons begin to clump together and get entangled, and a small portion of that P-Tau 217 is spilt into the blood and can be detected with a simple test. And it's about 90% accurate.” Positive results are not definitive diagnoses but offer opportunities for early support.

"Please Note: This information is for educational purposes only and does not count as medical advice. Readers should always consult a qualified doctor regarding any questions about their health or a medical condition."