As of 2019, nearly one in two Americans over age 55 are at risk of dementia, according to the Census Bureau’s report. Dementia is the progressive decline in memory and cognitive ability over time and impacts about 6.7 million Americans every year.

Associate Professor at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine Dr. Nathaniel Chin weighed in on what Americans can do to reduce the risk of developing dementia in an article in Fortune. According to Chin, continued learning, staying socially connected, managing chronic conditions, protecting hearing and limiting alcohol intake can strengthen neural networks, reducing the risk of developing dementia.

Forty-five percent of dementia cases may be prevented by monitoring these risk factors, according to a study in The Lancet. As a result of this discovery, UW experts are attempting to find a way to detect and diagnose Alzheimer’s before symptoms occur.

There is a misconception within the general public on the difference between Alzheimer’s and dementia. Alzheimer’s is characterized by a disease of the brain that usually leads to dementia. It is also a specific type of dementia. In 2023, 6.7 million Americans were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Researchers at the UW School of Medicine have discovered a way to diagnose Alzheimer’s before the onset of symptoms through detecting biomarkers in a simple blood test using Wisconsin’s Registry for Alzheimer’s Prevention data.

The Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute Director Dr. Cynthia Carlsson is a part of the team of researchers that is testing a patient’s blood for specific proteins indicating whether or not Alzheimer’s disease is present.

“We look for two types of proteins in a blood sample: the autosomal dominant protein Presenilin and Ptau-217,” Carlsson said.

Presenilin is involved in Alzheimer’s disease, and a mutation in the gene that produces Presenilin is a cause of Alzheimer’s. This genetic mutation is the leading cause of Alzheimer’s, according to a study conducted by the NIH. An abnormal spike in amyloid protein, a protein aggregate that causes disease, creates an abnormal spike in Ptau-217 protein. Blood tests can detect this spike in Ptau-217, and this advancement may entail promising results for the medical industry.

“There are 700 participants in the study,” Carlsson said. “We focus on looking at middle-aged adults with no memory symptoms and follow them over time to see if we can detect these changes in the brain earlier.”

Dr. Carey Gleason is the principal investigator of the African Americans Fighting Alzheimer’s in Midlife study at the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. The team’s goal is to make early detection of Alzheimer’s accessible to all through the mechanism of a blood test, according to Gleason.

The Census Bureau’s report noted how the risk of developing dementia is significantly higher for marginalized groups. The risk of dementia in African Americans is disproportionately higher than in their white counterparts, according to the report. UW researchers are attempting to bridge this gap. According to WRAP data, Black Americans are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia but often do not get treatment or care until much later into the disease.

The quicker the disease can be identified, the better quality of life a person will have, as treatment can begin before the onset of symptoms. The AA-FAIM was established to bring resources to the community and inspire health promotion, yet the Black community has often been underrepresented in the field of research and is more susceptible to disease.

“Five hundred and fifty African Americans were recruited for this study, over half were recruited here in Madison,” Gleason said. “One hundred Native Americans also enrolled.”

In the study, participants were followed for up to four years and researchers took incremental measurements on the amount of amyloid in the bloodstream, measuring cognitive ability over time. Early into the study, a pattern emerged that a lower amyloid level in the body is associated with a decline in cognitive performance. Though this observation did not meet measures of statistical significance, researchers for AA-FAIM seek to prove this association through further research.

This study would provide a less invasive way to test for Alzheimer’s, and it would be easier for rural clinics to get their hands on blood kits as opposed to the methods of testing for Alzheimer’s that are currently available.

“Under-resourced medical centers do not have the specialty services that urban clinics and hospitals have as they are often more primary care based and lack the technology necessary to diagnose some diseases,” Gleason said. “A simple blood draw and a cognitive exam would help reduce barriers to care for African and Native Americans.”

A recently rescinded executive order by President Donald Trump calls into question the viability of certain research endeavors. Without proper funding, it can be difficult for scientific studies to continue and provide results.

“Our lab is strong in detection methodology and neuroimaging and blood tests capabilities are among the best in the nation,” Gleason said. “We excel with groups who are underrepresented in research and who are more susceptible to disease. We have racial and medical condition diversity. We increase representation across different medical conditions.”