Region's first 'revolutionary' Alzheimer's diagnosis centre to open in UAE

A new centre that aims to diagnosis Alzheimer's by offering screening as early as age 40 through a blood test will open in Abu Dhabi.

The National Reference Laboratory, part of the M42 Group, made the announcement at the Abu Dhabi Global Health Week.

To be established in partnership with Neurocode International, the Centre for Advanced Neuro Biochemical Diagnostics will be the first in the region.

Tradition diagnostic methods typically involves spinal cord needle extraction, which results in low early detection rates.

Alzheimer's disease is a major health issue, affecting over 57 million people globally as of 2021. It is the most common form of dementia, accounting for 60-70 percent of cases, and this number is on the rise.

"This centre will revolutionise the early, proactive detection of Alzheimer's, underscoring our dedication to and the importance of preventive health. By focusing on early intervention, we aim to reduce the impact of Alzheimer's and improve the quality of life for patients in the UAE and beyond," highlighted Hasan Jasem Al Nowais, Managing Director and Group CEO of M42.

The centre aims to establish the world's most advanced clinical diagnostic laboratory for brain disorders, guiding global clinicians in precision detection and ushering in a new era of neurological diagnostics. Its research will be published in top scientific journals, sharing findings with the wider medical community.

It will include a full-time lab-based professor of neurology, with dementia training from Gothenburg University. Professor Henrik Zetterberg, MD, PhD, expert in the development of biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease and its diagnosis, and Professor Kaj Blennow, MD, PhD, who is recognised for his instrumental role in developing early diagnostic tools for the disease, will both be off-site expert consultants for the Centre.