Scientists have identified small loops of genetic material called circular RNAs, or circRNAs, that may help predict when Alzheimer’s symptoms are likely to appear. In a study involving more than 1,200 people, researchers found that elevated levels of 34 circRNAs were linked to Alzheimer’s disease and could predict progression to symptomatic disease more effectively than the established blood biomarker pTau217. The levels of these molecules appeared to change around two to four years before symptoms emerged, potentially offering a way to identify people nearing cognitive decline. Researchers are now working to develop blood tests that could help predict disease progression and monitor treatment responses.
Read more at NIH