About one in 10 people in the UK aged 70 and over may have brain changes linked to Alzheimer’s disease, according to the largest population-based study of its kind.
The research, published in Nature, used blood biomarker tests from nearly 11,500 randomly selected people. While these changes do not mean a diagnosis, the findings suggest more than 1 million over-70s could meet NHS criteria for anti-amyloid treatment — far more than current estimates.
The study shows prevalence rises with age, from under 8% in people in their 50s and 60s to around two-thirds of those over 90. Experts say the results could transform early detection, but warn the NHS would struggle to afford treatment at current costs.
