Blood test to detect abnormal alpha-synuclein in dementia
Development of a Blood-based Test for Identifying Synucleinopathy in Patients with Dementia
This project is developing a blood test to find abnormal alpha‑synuclein proteins in people with dementia so doctors can avoid antipsychotics that might be harmful.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Neurodex INC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Arlington, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11169963 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I have memory, thinking, or movement problems, the team is working on a simple blood test to spot alpha‑synuclein linked to Lewy-type brain disease. They use a method to pull out tiny particles from blood called extracellular vesicles that come from brain cells to concentrate brain-specific protein signals. In early work their assays distinguished Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy from healthy controls using these neuron-derived vesicles. They plan to finish discovery work and then run analytical and clinical validation steps to show the test works reliably in patients.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with dementia, Parkinsonism, or unclear cognitive symptoms where clinicians suspect Lewy body–related disease or synucleinopathy would be the most appropriate candidates.
Not a fit: People without cognitive or movement symptoms, or those with a clear diagnosis of purely Alzheimer's pathology with no suspicion of synucleinopathy, are less likely to benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the test could help identify people whose dementia involves alpha‑synuclein and guide safer medication choices, potentially preventing severe adverse reactions to antipsychotics.
How similar studies have performed: Past attempts to measure alpha‑synuclein in whole plasma generally failed, but recent approaches isolating neuron-derived extracellular vesicles have shown promising accuracy in small patient groups.
Where this research is happening
Arlington, United States
- Neurodex INC — Arlington, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Eitan, Erez — Neurodex INC
- Study coordinator: Eitan, Erez
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.