The NHS is seeking nearly 200 people aged 45 and over to take part in a study that could enable earlier diagnosis of dementia through a blood test.
The READ OUT study asks participants to give one 20ml blood sample and details of their medical history.
Volunteers must either have been referred to memory services or be experiencing memory problems, and must live in Surrey or northeast Hampshire.
Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said the test is highly accurate and can identify different types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia and mild cognitive impairment.
Vascular dementia occurs when reduced blood flow damages brain tissue, while mild cognitive impairment involves memory problems worse than normal ageing but less severe than dementia.
Professor Ramin Nilforooshan, consultant psychiatrist and director of research and development at the trust, said early detection was vital.
Nilforooshan said: “Early diagnosis is key to improving the lives of people with dementia.
“It gives people time to plan their lives, get their finances in order or maybe take a holiday they never had.
“It takes away the uncertainty.”
At present, diagnosis usually involves cognitive assessments, brain scans and lengthy clinical evaluations.
A blood test could make the process quicker and more accessible for patients showing early memory problems.
The trust said it is looking for volunteers who meet the criteria to take part in the study, which it described as “ground-breaking” for dementia diagnosis.
People interested in taking part can contact Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust for more information on eligibility and enrolment in the READ OUT study.
