Researchers from Stanford University in California have suggested that using a blood test to determine the biological age of a person’s organs could help prevent diseases and predict the progression of conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study published in the journal Aging.
The groundbreaking study focused on 11 organs, organ systems, or tissues, including the brain, heart, lung, kidney, liver, pancreas, intestine, immune system, muscle, fat, and vasculature. The team used machine learning to assess the protein levels in human blood and trained their algorithm to guess a person’s age based on the levels of organ-specific proteins.
The study revealed that almost 20% of patients showed strongly accelerated age in one organ, while 1.7% showed aging in multiple organs. It was also discovered that accelerated organ aging conferred a 20%–50% higher mortality risk. Specifically, accelerated heart aging was associated with a 250% higher risk of heart failure, while accelerated brain and vascular aging could predict Alzheimer’s progression better than current blood-based biomarkers.
“These findings are a major step forward in our understanding of how aging affects different organs and how these changes can impact overall health,” said lead researcher Dr. Benjamin R. Perry. “By monitoring the health of individual organs in apparently healthy people, we may be able to identify organs undergoing accelerated aging and allow for early treatment.”
Dr. Leah Mursaleen, head of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, commented on the study’s findings, stating, “This research provides further evidence that markers in the blood can measure brain and blood vessel aging, potentially allowing for the prediction of Alzheimer’s disease and its progression.” Mursaleen added that the development of more accurate and less invasive methods to detect age-related diseases, such as blood tests, could bring us closer to finding a cure.
The study’s authors foresee blood tests for Alzheimer’s disease becoming available within the next five years. This is an exciting prospect for both patients and healthcare professionals, as early detection and intervention could significantly improve outcomes for individuals at risk of developing this debilitating condition.
As research in this area continues to advance, it is hoped that the use of blood tests to measure organ aging will become a routine part of preventive healthcare. This could revolutionize how diseases are detected and treated, ultimately leading to longer and healthier lives for countless individuals.
Jala News will continue to monitor developments in this field and provide updates on any new breakthroughs in the prevention and treatment of age-related diseases.
“Infuriatingly humble tv expert. Friendly student. Travel fanatic. Bacon fan. Unable to type with boxing gloves on.”