Overview
- Researchers analyzed plasma pTau217 in 11,486 HUNT cohort participants aged 58 and older, pairing biomarker status with cognitive assessments to generate population estimates.
- Among people 70 and over, 9.8% had Alzheimer’s dementia with high pTau217, 10.4% had prodromal disease, and 10% had preclinical pathology.
- Roughly 11% of those 70 and over would meet current eligibility for anti‑amyloid monoclonal antibodies such as lecanemab or donanemab, which are not funded on the NHS.
- Pathology rose sharply with age, from under 8% with abnormal biomarker at 65–69 to about 65% over 90, with higher-than-expected rates in the 85–89 group and lower preclinical prevalence in some younger cohorts.
- Lower education correlated with higher pathology, and experts caution that detection is not a diagnosis as FDA‑cleared blood assays expand access and UK implementation trials proceed.