SUN CITY, Ariz. (Nov. 19, 2025) – Dr. Nicholas Ashton, senior director of the Banner Research Fluid Biomarker Program, recently led a significant study published in Nature Communications that advances early detection of Alzheimer's disease in individuals with Down syndrome.
The research demonstrates that a simple blood test measuring plasma p-tau217 can accurately detect Alzheimer's pathology in this high-risk population. Plasma p-tau217 is a protein found in blood that becomes elevated when Alzheimer's pathology is present in the brain. The study analyzed 2,329 samples and found that plasma p-tau217 achieved 96% accuracy in distinguishing cognitively stable individuals with Down syndrome from those with Alzheimer's.
This breakthrough is particularly important because individuals with Down syndrome have a greater than 90% lifetime risk of developing Alzheimer's, yet diagnosis has historically been challenging. The findings support the use of this minimally invasive blood test as a reliable tool for early detection and monitoring, potentially enabling earlier intervention and improving recruitment for therapeutic trials.
The Fluid Biomarker Program is located at Banner Sun Health Research Institute in Sun City.
Read the study: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-65882-x
About Banner Sun Health Research Institute
Since 1986, Banner Sun Health Research Institute, part of nonprofit Banner Health, has been a leader nationally and internationally in the effort to find answers to disorders of aging including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. The institute’s Cleo Roberts Center for Clinical Research takes laboratory discoveries to clinical trials that foster hope for new treatments. Banner Health is Arizona’s leading health care provider and largest private employer. For more information, visit bannershri.com or visit us on Facebook.
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