A new study published in Nature Communications tested a simple nasal swab to find early changes linked to Alzheimer’s. Detecting the disease early matters because new treatments may work best at that stage.
Researchers used a gentle swab placed high inside the nose. After a numbing spray, a clinician guided a tiny brush to the upper nose where smell nerve cells live. Scientists then measured which genes were active in the collected cells.
The team compared samples from 22 participants and looked at thousands of genes across many cells. A combined gene score separated early and clinical Alzheimer’s from healthy people about 81% of the time. The researchers plan larger studies next.
Difficult words
- study — short research report about a topic
- nasal swab — soft tool taken from inside the nose
- clinician — trained health worker who gives medical care
- gene — parts of cells that control traits and activitygenes
- participant — people who take part in a studyparticipants
- separate — show a clear difference between two groupsseparated
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Discussion questions
- Would you agree to a nasal swab test to check for early disease? Why or why not?
- How would you feel if a clinician used a tiny brush inside your nose for a test?
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