Diagnosis Tool for Frontotemporal Dementia via a Novel Blood Test
In a groundbreaking study, researchers from the Finnish FinFTD research network have discovered a new method for diagnosing Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD), a condition that is the second most common cause of dementia in the working age population. The study, published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry (JNNP) in June 2021, suggests that a blood test measuring the levels of Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) can distinguish FTD patients from those with primary psychiatric disorders or healthy individuals.
GFAP, originating from the glial cells in the central nervous system, reflects brain atrophy and neuroinflammation. The new study indicates that an ultrasensitive single molecule array (SIMOA) method allows reliable detection of GFAP from blood samples, making it more practical and convenient for patients and the healthcare system.
The research, led by Adjunct Professor Eino Solje and Adjunct Professor Annakaisa Haapasalo, found that the levels of GFAP were significantly higher in the blood of FTD patients compared to psychiatric patients or healthy individuals. Furthermore, the diagnostic accuracy of GFAP is further increased when combined with blood-based measurements of the neurofilament light protein from the same patients.
This new development could significantly improve the diagnostics of FTD, a disease that is often complicated due to similar symptoms presented by patients with psychiatric disorders or other neurodegenerative diseases. The improved diagnostics could allow better prediction of disease progression or assessment of therapeutic efficacy of future treatments.
The study, with the DOI 10.1136/jnnp-2021-326487, was a collaboration between research groups of the Finnish FinFTD research network. For more information, contact Eino Solje at +358 40 842 5553 or email [email protected], or Annakaisa Haapasalo at +358403552768 or email [email protected].
The authors of the research article, which was published in the journal "Neurology," include Katharina Ricken and colleagues. This study marks the first time that the measurement of GFAP in blood samples has been used to differentiate patients with FTD from those with primary psychiatric disorders or healthy individuals.
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