About 10 percent of people aged 70 and older in the U.K. show Alzheimer’s brain changes, suggesting that more than 1 million individuals could meet NHS criteria for anti-amyloid treatments, according to researchers.
Study Reveals Scope of Alzheimer’s Brain Changes
The population-based study, led by King’s College London, analyzed blood biomarker data from nearly 11,500 randomly selected adults. Researchers found that Alzheimer’s brain changes appear in just over one-third of people in their 70s and in nearly two-thirds of those aged 90 and above.
Dag Aarsland, lead author and professor of old age psychiatry at King’s College, called the findings a “gamechanger in the understanding of the disease.” He said the study used a simple blood test to detect changes contributing to cognitive impairment.
Previous estimates relied on small clinic-based samples, leaving uncertainty about how widespread these brain changes are. The study, published Dec. 17 in Nature, provides the first real-world numbers for the U.K. population.
Experts Cite Potential for Early Detection and Treatment
While detection of Alzheimer’s proteins does not constitute a diagnosis, the findings indicate a far larger population could be eligible for anti-amyloid therapy than previously thought. The NHS had estimated only 70,000 people might qualify if funding were available.
David Thomas, head of policy at Alzheimer’s Research U.K., emphasized the study’s importance: “High-quality studies like this are crucial to enhancing our understanding of how blood tests for Alzheimer’s could be used in clinical practice.”
Eric Brunner, professor at University College London, said the research marks a turning point. “We can identify people before they develop clinical dementia,” he said. “But the sheer numbers emphasise that the NHS cannot afford to treat all who could benefit at current costs.”
Blood Tests Offer New Insights into Dementia Risk
The study used the p-tau217 blood test, recently cleared by regulators, which can detect Alzheimer’s changes earlier than previous methods. Researchers stress the findings only reflect current brain changes and do not predict who will develop dementia.
Tara Spires-Jones, professor of neurodegeneration at the University of Edinburgh, called the results “very interesting, strong and accurate,” noting they extend current knowledge of the disease. Aarsland said future research will explore how such tests could be integrated into primary care.
Nearly one million people in the U.K. currently live with dementia, a number projected to reach 1.4 million by 2040. The study indicates that many more individuals may already have Alzheimer’s brain changes years before symptoms appear.
Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09841-y
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