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5d ago

Proteomic Blood Test Quantifies Organ Age and Identifies Brain as Top Predictor of Death and Alzheimer’s Risk

The Nature Medicine publication paves the way for clinical use of the test within three years by correlating brain proteomic profiles with sharp increases in 15-year mortality.

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New research from Stanford scientists found that an “extremely aged” brain was associated not only with an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, but a 182% increased risk of dying in the next 15 years.
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Overview

  • The test quantifies biological age across 11 organ systems by measuring organ-specific protein signatures in blood samples from nearly 45,000 UK Biobank participants.
  • Individuals with extremely aged brains face a 182% higher risk of death over 15 years and are roughly 12 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease, while those with extremely youthful brains see a 40% reduction in mortality.
  • Organ-specific age gaps also predict related health outcomes, including increased heart failure risk with an aged heart and higher COPD incidence linked to aged lung profiles.
  • Preliminary findings associate lifestyle factors—such as regular exercise and non-smoking—with younger organ ages, prompting further studies on modifiable behaviors.
  • Stanford researchers plan to commercialize the proteomic blood test within three years, initially targeting the brain, heart and immune system for early clinical deployment.