About this episode

Dr. Joshua Grill discusses the implications of blood tests and biomarkers for early Alzheimer's detection and the associated ethical considerations.

Blood tests and other biomarkers are bringing researchers closer to detecting Alzheimer’s disease before memory loss begins — a shift that could reshape prevention, treatment, and the way families think about risk.Dr. Joshua Grill, director of the UC Irvine Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND) and UCI’s NIA-funded Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, explains how advances in amyloid PET scans, spinal fluid testing, and blood-based biomarkers are changing Alzheimer’s research and care. Grill has published more than 150 articles and is nationally recognized for his work on clinical trials, recruitment and retention, and biomarker disclosure.In this conversation with Being Patient’s Mark Niu, Grill discussed why these tests are useful today for people already experiencing cognitive symptoms, why they are not yet recommended as a routine risk test for people without memory problems, and how biomarkers are helping researchers design prevention trials for people at higher biological risk. He also explained the emotional, ethical, and legal questions that come with assessing Alzheimer’s risk and what still needs to happen before early testing and…

People in this episode

Host: Mark Niu

Guest: Dr. Joshua Grill

Topics covered

• Alzheimer's detection
• blood tests
• biomarkers
• cognitive symptoms
• clinical trials
• ethical questions

Keywords

• Alzheimer's disease
• blood tests
• biomarkers
• early detection
• cognitive symptoms
• clinical trials
• risk assessment

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: UC Irvine Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, UCI MIND, NIA-funded Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center

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