阿尔茨海默病检测的重大突破

A blood test for detecting Alzheimer’s （阿尔茨海默病）disease could be just as accurate as painful and invasive（侵入性的）lumbar punctures（腰椎穿刺）and could revolutionise diagnosis of the condition， research suggests.

Measuring levels of a protein called p-tau217 in the blood could be just as good as lumbar punctures at detecting the signs of Alzheimer’s， and better than a range of other tests under development， experts say.

The protein is a marker for biological changes that happen in the brain with Alzheimer’s disease.

In a study of 786 people， researchers were able to use the ALZpath p-tau217 test to identify patients as being likely， intermediate or unlikely to have Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr Richard Oakley， a researcher at the Alzheimer’s Society， said： “This study is a hugely welcome step in the right direction. It suggests results from these tests could be clear enough to not require further follow-up investigations for some people living with Alzheimer’s disease， which could speed up the diagnosis pathway significantly in future. ”

Currently， the only wayx8PuTqZ+dO4XT570Nq3/aw== to prove that someone has a buildup of the proteins in the brain is to have a lumbar puncture or an amyloid PET scan， which are available in only about one in 20 NHS memory clinics.

Dr Sheona Scales， a director of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK， said： “This study suggests that measuring levels of a protein called p-tau217 in the blood could be as accurate as currently used lumbar punctures for detecting the biological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease， and superior to a range of other tests currently under development.”

Prof David Curtis， an honorary professor at the UCL Genetics Institute， University College London， said： “It is possible that currently available treatments for Alzheimer’s disease would work better in those diagnosed early in this way. However， I think the real hope is that better treatments can also be developed. The combination of a simple screening test with an effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease would have a dramatic impact for individuals and for society.”

The study from Dr Nicholas Ashton， of the University of Gothenburg， and colleagues is published in the Jama Neurology journal.

（材料来自The Guardian，有删改）

1. What does the underlined word “revolutionise” in paragraph 1 mean？

A. Overturn. B. Supported. C. Exceed. D. Overtake.

2. What does the function of p-tau217 protein ？

A. It marks the rapid development of Alzheimer’s disease genes.

B. It is the marker for biological changes that happen in the brain with Alzheimer’s disease.

C. It is helpful for the rapid completion of lumbar puncture.

D. It promotes blood circulation and is conductive for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease.

3. What kind of opinion does Dr Sheona Scales convey？

A. This research is beneficial for advancing the treatment and recovery of Alzheimer’s disease.

B. This research is not beneficial for promoting the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.

C. Measuring the levels of a protein called p-tau217 in the blood could not be as accurate as currently used lumbar punctures for detecting the biological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease.

D. The protein levels called p-tau217 tested in the blood are as accurate as the currently used lumbar puncture and superior to other tests.

4. Which column of a newspaper is the text probably taken from？

A. Health. B. Culture. C. Economy. D. Education.

1.A。解析：词义辨析题。材料第一段提到“研究表明，检测阿尔茨海默病的血液测试可能与疼痛且侵入性的腰椎穿刺一样准确，并可能彻底改变对阿尔茨海默病的诊断”，由此可知“revolutionise”的意思是“彻底改变”。A选项的意思是“推翻、变革”，B选项的意思是“支持”，C选项的意思是“超过”，D选项的意思是“赶上、超过”，故选A。

2.B。解析：细节理解题。材料第三段提到“这种蛋白质是大脑发生阿尔茨海默病生物学变化的标志”，B选项与材料内容相符，故选B。

3.D。解析：细节理解题。材料第七段提到，Dr Sheona Scales的观点是“这项研究表明，测量血液中一种名为p-tau217的蛋白质的水平，可以像目前用于检测阿尔茨海默病的生物学特征的腰椎穿刺一样准确，甚至优于目前正在开发的一系列其他测试”，D选项与材料内容相符，故选D。

4.A。解析：主旨大意题。材料的主要内容是“阿尔茨海默病的相关诊断取得巨大进步”，与人体健康有关，故选A。