A 15-year-old Indian-origin boy in the UK has developed a potential test for Alzheimer’s which could allow the disease to be diagnosed 10 years before the first symptoms appear and even stop its progression.
Krtin Nithiyanandam, of Epsom, Surrey, has developed a ‘trojan horse’ antibody which can penetrate the brain and attach to neurotoxic proteins which are present in the very first stages of the disease.
The antibodies, which would be injected into the bloodstream are also attached to fluorescent particles which can then be picked up on a brain scan.
Krtin submitted his test to the Google Science Fair Prize and learned that he had made it through to the final last week. He will find out next month if he has won a prestigious scholarship and mentoring to take his idea further.
“The main benefits of my test are that it could be used to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease before symptoms start to show by focusing on pathophysiological changes, some of which can occur a decade before symptoms are prevalent,” Krtin told The Daily Telegraph.
Neurodegenerative disease like dementia are hard to diagnose and treat because of the blood-brain barrier. Krtin’s antibodies can pass through the barrier. “My preliminary research suggests that my diagnostic probe could simultaneously have therapeutic potential as well as diagnostic,” said Krtin, who moved to Britain from India with his family when he was a baby.
{{/usCountry}}Neurodegenerative disease like dementia are hard to diagnose and treat because of the blood-brain barrier. Krtin’s antibodies can pass through the barrier. “My preliminary research suggests that my diagnostic probe could simultaneously have therapeutic potential as well as diagnostic,” said Krtin, who moved to Britain from India with his family when he was a baby.
{{/usCountry}}He suffered from hearing problems as a child and wants to study medicine when he leaves school.