Expand / Collapse search
☰
Extreme Heat Warning
until THU 8:00 PM MST, Yuma County, Parker Valley
8
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
until WED 1:15 PM MST, Santa Cruz County
Flood Watch
from THU 2:00 PM MST until THU 9:00 PM MST, Upper Gila River and Aravaipa Valleys including Clifton/Safford, Chiricahua Mountains including Chiricahua National Monument, Galiuro and Pinaleno Mountains including Mount Graham, Upper San Pedro River Valley including Sierra Vista/Benson, Eastern Cochise County below 5000 ft including Douglas/Wilcox, Dragoon/Mule/Huachuca and Santa Rita Mountains including Bisbee/Canelo Hills/Madera Canyon
Flood Watch
from THU 2:00 PM MST until FRI 5:00 AM MST, Southeast Pinal County including Kearny/Mammoth/Oracle, Tohono O'odham Nation including Sells, Santa Catalina and Rincon Mountains including Mount Lemmon/Summerhaven, Tucson Metro Area including Tucson/Green Valley/Marana/Vail, South Central Pinal County including Eloy/Picacho Peak State Park, Baboquivari Mountains including Kitt Peak, Upper Santa Cruz River and Altar Valleys including Nogales
Flood Watch
from WED 11:00 AM MST until WED 11:00 PM MST, Oak Creek and Sycamore Canyons, Northern Gila County, Yavapai County Mountains, Yavapai County Valleys and Basins
Flood Advisory
from WED 12:36 PM MST until WED 3:30 PM MST, Mohave County
Air Quality Alert
until WED 9:00 PM MST, Pinal County
Air Quality Alert
until THU 9:00 PM MST, Maricopa County

Blood test could help identify people at high risk for Alzheimer's, study suggests

By
FOX Local
Health
Published July 15, 2026 11:12 AM MST
Published July 15, 2026 11:12 AM MST
article

A laboratory technician picks up a test tube with a human blood sample at the Maccabi Health Services HMO central laboratory January 22, 2006 in Nes Tsiona which is located in central Israel. (Photo by David Silverman/Getty Images)

Expand

The Brief

    • A blood test may help predict whether healthy older adults are likely to develop Alzheimer’s symptoms within five to 10 years, researchers reported Wednesday.
    • The U.S. Food and Drug Administration began permitting the use of p-tau217 to help diagnose Alzheimer’s in May 2025. 
    • The findings, published in JAMA and presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in London, analyzed data from 2,684 older adults who were healthy when they enrolled in the long-term study. 

A blood test may help predict whether healthy older adults are likely to develop Alzheimer’s symptoms within five to 10 years, researchers reported Wednesday.

The test is currently being used to help determine whether people who are experiencing cognitive problems have Alzheimer’s or another disorder, but it could help scientists enroll people who are most likely to benefit from experimental treatments.

The p-tau217 test

The backstory:

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration began permitting the use of p-tau217 to help diagnose Alzheimer’s in May 2025. It measures a form of tau that correlates with the amount of plaque buildup someone has. 

The test can also help doctors diagnose whether a patient’s memory problems are due to Alzheimer’s or a number of other medical conditions. However, it was only cleared for people 55 years of age or older who were showing early signs of Alzheimer’s. 

The study found that older adults with extremely high p-tau217 levels faced a 38% risk of developing cognitive impairment within five years. The risk went even higher to 78% over a 10-year span. 

RELATED: Blood test could predict what age Alzheimer's symptoms will start, new study suggests

Dig deeper:

The findings, published in JAMA and presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in London, analyzed data from 2,684 older adults who were healthy when they enrolled in the long-term study. Participants then underwent yearly cognitive assessments and since 2004, 478 of them have developed cognitive impairment. Those with lower p-tau217 levels had similar low risk over the study period. 

The other side:

The study has not come with its critics. Some outside researchers say the smaller sample size has created a wave of expectations that they consider pshaw at this stage, given how much evidence is still missing.

What causes Alzheimer's  

Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking and behavior, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. 

Alzheimer's is a progressive and fatal disease, gradually worsening from the early stages of memory loss to the inability to have a conversation. More severe symptoms include "disorientation, mood and behavior changes; deepening confusion about events, time and place; unfounded suspicions about family, friends and professional caregivers; more serious memory loss and behavior changes; and difficulty speaking, swallowing and walking."

RELATED: Blood test could predict what age Alzheimer's symptoms will start, new study suggests

Age is the greatest risk factor for Alzheimer’s: Most people who have it are 65 and older. If a person younger than 65 is diagnosed, it’s considered "younger-onset" or "early-onset" Alzheimer’s. 

By the numbers:

More than seven million Americans have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60–80% of dementia cases.


 

The Source: This story was written with information provided by The Associated Press. This story was reported from Orlando. 


 

HealthU.S.News