A simple blood test can tell whether a patient will rapidly develop the most severe form of Alzheimer's disease, a new study finds.
According to the researchers, identifying patients with mild memory disorders who are more likely to deteriorate quickly would enable earlier intervention, inclusion in clinical trials, and increased support for them and their families.
What does this test measure?
Neurologists examined 315 non-diabetic patients with cognitive impairment, including 200 with Alzheimer's, measuring resistance to insulin - a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels.
This indicator was assessed through the triglyceride-glucose index (TyG) – a simple laboratory test that can be performed in any hospital.
What did they discover?
Of patients with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's, those with the highest TyG values deteriorated 4 times faster over a 3-year period, compared to those with lower values.
Why does this happen?
Researchers suggest that insulin resistance – previously linked to the onset of Alzheimer's – may accelerate the development of the disease by:
Inhibiting glucose absorption in the brain,
Promotes inflammation,
Damaged blood-brain barrier,
Helped in the accumulation of toxic amyloid protein in the brain, linked to Alzheimer's.
Other data from the study:
High TyG was also associated with cardiovascular risk and blood-brain barrier damage.
No association was found between high TyG and other neurodegenerative diseases.
The study was conducted by the University of Brescia in Italy and will be presented at the European Congress of Neurology in Helsinki.
What do the doctors say?
Dr. Bianca Gumina, lead author of the study, said:
"After a person is diagnosed with mild memory impairment, family members always ask: How quickly will it get worse? Our data show that a simple metabolic indicator, available in any hospital laboratory, can help identify the most susceptible patients who may benefit from targeted therapies or specific intervention strategies."
✅ Quick summary:
Simple blood test (TyG) = can predict rapid deterioration of Alzheimer's.
Patients with high TyG values = 4 times more likely to deteriorate rapidly.
Opportunities for more personalized treatments and involvement in clinical trials.
The importance of controlling insulin resistance even in non-diabetic patients.
This discovery could be a major step forward in predicting and managing Alzheimer's in the early stages. /GazetaExpress/
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