Learn more about your Alzheimer's risk
A free blood test that screens for levels of the pTau protein can help you understand if you have an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. Be proactive today.
Learn your pTau levels in 3 simple steps
Check your eligibility
After submitting the short form, if you’re eligible, you can schedule your lab appointment and will receive your lab order by email.
In-person lab appointment
Bring your lab order to your selected location for your free blood test.
Receive your free results
Schedule your results call. Results are expected within 3 weeks.
Changes in the brain can occur 10-20 years before Alzheimer’s disease symptoms appear.
- Recent advances in research can now detect increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease with an investigational blood test.
- Early intervention may prevent or prolong the time until symptoms start.
- 1 in 9 people age 65 and older has Alzheimer's dementia.
pTau testing is important to advancing Alzheimer's research
Doctors are working to understand how thinking and memory change over time, to improve early detection of Alzheimer's disease, and to find treatments for the future. Every pTau test can support these medical breakthroughs.
If eligible, your test will also include heart, kidney, and liver health insights:
pTau
A protein that may measure your risk for developing Alzheimer's disease (Based on eligibility at select locations).
hsCRP
A high sensitivity protein that, if chronically elevated, can be associated with heart disease risk.
A1c
An ongoing elevation of the sugar in your blood that negatively impacts your heart, blood vessels, kidneys, nerves, eyesight and more.
Creatinine / eGFR
How well your kidneys are filtering out waste and keeping your body in balance.
Lp(a)
A genetically determined type of cholesterol that puts you at greater risk of heart disease
Lipid Panel
Measures cholesterol and fats in your blood.
Liver Function Tests
Blood tests to screen for liver disease and detect fibrosis.
If you're eligible, you may receive these additional tests:
Platelets
Help with blood clotting and provide information about how your liver fuctioning
EOS (Eosinophils)
A type of white blood cell involved in inflammation. High levels may point to asthma or other allergic conditions affecting lungs.
What is pTau?
pTau, or phosphorylated tau, is a protein in the brain that can point to Alzheimer’s disease risk. In healthy brains, tau proteins help nerve cells work properly. When tau becomes “phosphorylated,” it can build up in damaging ways. Higher levels of pTau can cause damage to nerve cells and affect memory and thinking.
Simple blood testing can show whether pTau levels are normal or elevated. Even if someone has higher levels of pTau, this is not an Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis. High levels of pTau are just one of many indicators of Alzheimer’s disease risk.
What’s the connection between pTau and Alzheimer’s disease?
While research is still ongoing into the causes of Alzheimer’s, we do know that in patients suffering from Alzheimer’s, their pTau has undergone abnormal changes.
Tangles form inside the brain, blocking their function. This leads to cell damage and inflammation, which contribute to Alzheimer's disease symptoms.
Elevated levels of pTau in the blood can therefore be an early indicator of increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s, potentially decades before any symptoms become apparent.
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Care Access works around the world to make the future of health better for all. We help people learn more about their health, access health resources they need, and participate in research to help find new medicines and cures.