Affiliations: [a] Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| [b] Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| [c] Department of Health and Community Systems, University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| [d] Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Correspondence:
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Correspondence to: Judith L. Heidebrink, 2301 Commonwealth Blvd, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA. Tel.: 734 936 3087; E-mail: jheide@med.umich.edu.
Abstract: A blood test for Alzheimer’s disease is now available for clinical use in persons with cognitive impairment. This is an extraordinary milestone, though the amyloid-based PrecivityAD™ test is not without limitations. Pre and post-test counseling are essential. Phosphorylated tau blood tests are likely to follow soon. When used in conjunction with an appropriate clinical evaluation, blood tests provide the opportunity for an early, accurate, and accessible diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Standalone use, however, carries a significant risk of misinterpretation and is strongly discouraged. Now is the time to develop appropriate use criteria to guide the use of these promising assays.
