IU School of Medicine looking for community help for study on Alzheimer’s disease

INDIANAPOLIS — An Indiana University School of Medicine researcher is working with the Mayo Clinic on a study looking at blood biomarkers and Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr. Jeffrey Dage's previous studies have demonstrated that blood levels of phosphorylated tau (P-tau) are indicators of the development of Alzheimer’s disease pathology in the brain.

READ: Study from Dr. Dage and others

Blood-based biomarkers are the goal in screening for and diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease in the population because they are less costly and invasive than imaging and a lumbar puncture, Dage and Dr. Michelle Mielke with the Mayo Clinic said.

The IU School of Medicine says there are multiple ways for Hoosiers to get involved in the research, including donating blood to the Indiana Biobank or by completing a participant referral form.

Additionally, some Indiana patients will receive new screenings for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease thanks to a pilot program.

The program provides a digital cognitive assessment tool to screen patients for Alzheimer’s and electronically check brain function. Currently, those screenings are not part of normal primary care visits.

The Core Cognitive Evaluation is completely iPad-based and combines a digital assessment with a lifestyle-based patient questionnaire to generate actionable insights for both providers and patients.