Alzheimer’s May Be Driven by Blood, Not Just the Brain, New Study Finds

Blood cell. Credits: Andrew Mason, CC BY-NC 2.0, via Flickr

Scientists astatine Emory University’s Goizueta Brain Health Institute and spouse institutions person identified proteins successful the humor that whitethorn shed caller airy connected however Alzheimer’s illness develops and affects memory.

The findings, published successful Nature Aging, are based connected an investigation of much than 2,100 humor samples collected crossed 4 large probe groups. Using precocious methods, researchers measured thousands of proteins and linked them to changes successful brain function and representation loss.

Beyond amyloid plaques

For decades, doctors person focused connected sticky amyloid plaques successful the encephalon arsenic a hallmark of Alzheimer’s. However, the caller probe shows that galore different processes besides play a role. Proteins related to the immune system, vigor use, discarded removal, and the body’s structural support, known arsenic the extracellular matrix, were linked to problems with representation and thinking.

Evidence points extracurricular the brain

Importantly, galore of the macromolecule changes could not beryllium explained by known encephalon abnormalities linked to Alzheimer’s. That uncovering suggests processes extracurricular the brain, including those successful the blood and different organs, whitethorn power some hazard and illness progression.

“Many of the proteins we recovered successful humor are not straight tied to what we spot successful the encephalon aft death,” said Erik Johnson, MD, PhD, elder writer and physician-researcher astatine Emory’s Goizueta Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. “This means that what’s happening successful the remainder of the assemblage could play a relation successful Alzheimer’s hazard and however accelerated the illness progresses.”

Pathway to caller treatments and tests

The survey highlights the anticipation of treatments targeting blood-based pathways alternatively than focusing lone connected drugs designed to scope the brain.

On Alzheimer's illness today:
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— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) September 2, 2025

“This survey advances our knowing of proteins successful the humor that alteration with Alzheimer’s disease,” said Allan Levey, MD, PhD, enforcement manager of the Goizueta Institute astatine Emory. “This enactment is foundational to the improvement of humor tests for detecting antithetic pathologies that hap successful the encephalon on with amyloid plaques, and for objective translation.”

Toward simpler diagnosis

Blood tests could besides supply a simpler, little invasive mode to survey and show Alzheimer’s. Current diagnostic methods often necessitate costly encephalon imaging oregon spinal fluid collection. A blood-based trial would beryllium much accessible for patients.

Wide probe collaboration

The enactment drew connected participants from Emory University’s Alzheimer’s probe programs, the Bio-Hermes study, and 2 semipermanent projects astatine Rush University successful Chicago: the Religious Orders Study and the Memory and Aging Project (ROSMAP).

By identifying humor proteins connected with representation decline, the study reinforces the proposal that Alzheimer’s is not lone a encephalon upset but besides 1 influenced by changes successful the body.