Midlife blood marker may flag dementia risk by age 45
A Springer Nature study found that elevated blood levels of the biomarker pTau181 in 45-year-olds are linked to self-reported cognitive concerns, suggesting signals of dementia risk may begin in midlife even when standard cognitive tests and brain scans are normal. This could indicate an early window for prevention, but it does not prove future dementia. In the UK, about 1 in 11 people aged 65+ have dementia, with risk roughly doubling every five years after around 70.
