Blood Test Trial Could Unlock New Dementia Treatments

Dementia typically affects those over the age of 65, but frontotemporal dementia, a rarer form of the disease that impacts behavior, language, and movement, often begins earlier, though it can also affect older individuals. While approximately 20,000 people in the UK live with frontotemporal dementia, its relative rarity means that individuals with the condition are frequently misdiagnosed. A significant challenge for dementia drug trials is that they often involve patients who have already been diagnosed, meaning they are exhibiting symptoms. However, by the time symptoms appear, it may be too late for the treatments to have a meaningful impact. To address this, a new study across the UK is introducing a simple blood test to detect early signs of dementia decades before symptoms emerge. This will help researchers identify individuals early, allowing them to trial drugs aimed at slowing or halting disease progression.

Researchers at the University of Cambridge (Cambridge, UK) are piloting an innovative approach in the city to monitor brain changes in individuals with dementia, providing a more affordable and accessible alternative to the expensive and time-consuming brain scans, which are not always available across the country. The initial studies by the team revealed that molecular changes associated with brain inflammation and dementia can be detected in the blood. These changes can occur years, even decades, before the physical symptoms of dementia become noticeable and are typically only observed through brain scans. The new trial will focus on frontotemporal dementia, but it is also designed to help accelerate the development of treatments for other forms of dementia. The Open Network for Frontotemporal dementia Inflammation Research (ON-FIRE) study aims to recruit participants and raise awareness across various communities in the UK, including remote areas that are often underrepresented in clinical trials.

This study will expand into a nationwide project involving over 20 research and healthcare centers across the UK, helping to identify individuals who could benefit most from disease-modifying treatments. Previous research has demonstrated that higher levels of brain inflammation are linked to faster clinical decline in those with frontotemporal dementia, much like in Alzheimer’s disease, highlighting the potential for immunotherapy as a treatment option. Large-scale studies like ON-FIRE will enable researchers to better understand the processes involved in dementia, potentially allowing existing treatments that target these mechanisms to be repurposed. Since these drugs already have established safety profiles, clinical trials for them can be faster and more cost-effective than trials for entirely new medications.

“It’s a very exciting program because we’re using blood tests to help unlock treatments to slow down the progression of dementia and eventually stop it,” said Dr. Maura Malpetti, senior research associate in Cambridge’s Department of Clinical Neurosciences, and Race Against Dementia Fellow. “It’s also much easier for the patient than a brain scan. We’re focusing on changes to the brain which can manifest 10-20 years before symptoms, with the hope that in the future we can treat them early enough to stop the disease before symptoms occur.”

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