New Alzheimer’s Test Developed by a 15-Year-Old can Help Detect It a Decade Earlier

Krtin is just 15 and he has designed a test that can detect Alzheimer’s a decade before the first symptoms become prevalent. His idea was selected in the finals of Google Science Fair.

Krtin Nithiyanandam, a 15-year-old Indian origin boy has developed a potential test for Alzheimer’s which can detect it 10 years before the first symptom appears and can even stop its progression.

Photo: Facebook

Sounds incredible, right? This UK based young genius of Epsom, Surrey, developed ‘trojan horse’ antibody which can penetrate the brain and attach to neurotoxic proteins which are present in the first stages of the disease. Bloodstreams would be injected with these antibodies which are also attached to fluorescent particles which can then be picked up on a brain scan.

The main use of the test can be to detect the symptoms of Alzheimer’s by focusing on pathophysiological changes which can occur decades before the disease is diagnosed or even the symptoms become prevalent.

Krtin’s antibodies can also pass through the barrier of blood-brain which is the biggest concern when it comes to diagnosis and treatment of Neurodegenerative disease like Dementia.

The lab tests also show that the antibodies stop toxic proteins from developing further by “handcuffing” them. This can potentially stop Alzheimer’s in its tracks. This interesting project was a part of Google Science Fair Prize where Krtin made it to the final week and he will find out next month whether he has received the scholarship or not.

He also mentioned that his invention can have therapeutic potential as well as diagnostic. Wanting to pursue medicine after he leaves school, Krtin faced hearing issues as a child.

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