Facing Alzheimer’s fear, patients say yes to blood tests

• For Journalists
• News Releases
• Latest Releases
• News Release

Facing Alzheimer's fear, patients say yes to blood tests

New survey highlights strong patient interest around emerging biomarker tests

EMBARGOED UNTIL 7 A.M. ET (U.S.) ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2026

• More than 80% of respondents would take a test if recommended by their doctor
• Nearly 90% said they would likely take steps to improve brain health following a positive test
• Majority of respondents were previously unaware such tests existed
• Study led by psychologist who works with at-risk patients distressed over early memory lapses

CHICAGO --- Northwestern University clinical and primary care psychologist Andrea Russell sees older adults with early cognitive impairment riddled with anxiety. Some worry a missed word or forgotten appointment could signal Alzheimer's disease. Others fear making a mistake in public. Some are too afraid to ask their doctor.

Witnessing that uncertainty, and the stigma surrounding dementia, inspired Russell to spearhead a new Northwestern Medicine survey that found a vast majority of older adults would be willing to take a biomarker blood test to assess their Alzheimer's risk.

The study will publish April 15 in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association.

The survey of nearly 600 primary care patients (average age 62) found 84% were unfamiliar with Alzheimer's blood tests and fewer than 2% had previously completed one. But after receiving a brief explanation of the tests, 85% of respondents said they would take one if their doctor recommended it.

Alzheimer's disease affects an estimated 7.2 million older adults in the U.S., a number projected to nearly double by 2060. Most patients with early memory concerns first present to primary care, where access to specialized testing such as brain scans or spinal taps can be limited. By comparison, the emerging blood tests are less invasive and potentially cheaper.

Last year, a couple of the tests, which detect ratios of amyloid or tau proteins associated with Alzheimer's, received FDA clearance for individuals 55 and older with existing symptoms of the disease. But the tests' accuracy and appropriate use are still being studied.

"These tests aren't ready for widespread use, but they soon could be," said study senior author Russell, assistant professor of psychology in the departments of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and general internal medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

"As researchers, we strive for care that centers on the needs of the patient first, so it's important for us to know what they think about those tests."

What patients said

The survey was conducted between November 2024 and January 2025 among adults participating in three ongoing Chicago-area cohort studies. All were 21 or older, living with at least one chronic condition and primarily followed in primary care.

After receiving brief education explaining that the tests identify higher risk but do not provide a definitive diagnosis:

• 94% said it was important to offer the tests to patients with memory or thinking problems.
• 85% said they would agree to testing if recommended by their clinician.
• 60% said it was "very important" to offer testing annually to adults 65 and older, even though such screening is not currently recommended.

The most endorsed reasons for potentially accepting the test were: if results informed medical care (94%), if the test was covered by insurance (93%), if comprehensive education was provided in advance (88%) and if the test was easy and convenient (88%).

The top barriers were cost (49%), concern about test reliability (35%), fear of a positive result (22%) and concern about being treated differently after a positive result (24%).

Nearly three in four participants said they would expect emotional distress after a positive result. At the same time, about 87% said they would be likely to take steps to improve their brain health.

"What's healthy for the brain is healthy for the body," Russell said. "If people learn they may be at higher risk, they may want to take action, such as managing chronic conditions, improving nutrition and staying engaged with their medical care. Those steps could help them prolong independence and well-being."

Early detection can also help patients plan ahead, connect with resources and enroll in clinical trials as researchers continue searching for better treatments. "As providers, we might be missing a window of opportunity to help people when they are motivated or in need of help," Russell said.

'The new cancer diagnosis'

Russell works in primary care settings with patients experiencing early cognitive changes, often alongside chronic conditions such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease that increase dementia risk.

"I see patients whose lives start to get smaller," Russell said. "Some are afraid to leave the house because they worry they'll forget something or get lost. Others don't want to know what's happening because there is so much doom and gloom around Alzheimer's. For many people, it feels like the new cancer diagnosis.

"Patients and families are often dissatisfied with delays in receiving diagnoses for cognitive problems and feeling unsure what to do," she said. "They don't know whether their perceived cognitive impairment is an unrelated health issue, normal aging or dementia not diagnosed yet."

Accuracy and limitations of the tests

The blood tests measure proteins linked to amyloid plaques in the brain, a hallmark of the disease. Clinical trials have shown these tests closely match - or sometimes even exceed - results from PET scans and spinal fluid tests, the current gold standards for detecting Alzheimer's pathology.

But results are not always conclusive, and a positive test does not mean someone will develop dementia. It means Alzheimer's-related changes are likely present in the brain at that moment. Some people with amyloid plaques never develop significant cognitive decline, while others progress at different speeds. Researchers are continuing to refine these biomarkers tests and study how best to use them in primary care settings.

The study, "Patient views on blood-based biomarker tests for Alzheimer's disease in primary care," was supported by National Institutes of Health grants R01AG030611, R01AG070212, R01AG075043 and P30AG059988.

• Images
• B-Roll
• Interviews