A team of researchers at University Hospital Southampton and the University of Southampton has launched an investigation into a novel laser-based test that could enable earlier and more precise diagnoses of various forms of dementia.
The project, funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), seeks to support clinicians in identifying patients who could benefit from emerging drug therapies when they are likely to be most effective.
Harnessing spectroscopy to analyse samples and detect disease
As symptoms of dementia are often subtle in the early stages, the condition can remain undiagnosed for extended periods. Conventional diagnostic methods can take over two years and may not provide accurate information about specific dementia types, such as Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia.
The complexity of distinguishing these types can impede timely treatment, but this new technique promises a faster, more accessible alternative. The new test aims to streamline diagnostic efforts by using a ‘biochemical fingerprint’ to distinguish between different dementia types.
Known as multi-excitation Raman spectroscopy (MX-Raman), the technology analyses a single drop of bodily fluid – which could be blood, spinal fluid, or mucus – by creating tiny molecular vibrations through laser excitation.
Professor Chris Kipps, consultant neurologist at University Hospital Southampton, who co-leads the project with Professor Sumeet Mahajan from the University of Southampton, described the MX-Raman technique as a ‘paradigm shift’ in clinical approaches to neurodegenerative disease.
This process produces a unique profile or ‘spectrum’, which reveals the sample’s biomolecular composition and provides a snapshot of the individual’s health and disease status. Early trials indicate the test can detect Alzheimer’s disease with an accuracy of over 93%.
Describing the MX-Raman technique, Professor Kipps added: “The slow progression of dementia, with a long presymptomatic phase, presents a formidable challenge in early diagnosis. This laser-based technique could change the way we approach dementia diagnosis and may significantly improve affordability and efficiency of current biomarker analysis. It represents a breakthrough in medical technology.”
Shaping new diagnostic pathways with molecular analysis
The research team will apply the MX-Raman technology to groups of patients with different dementia subtypes to assess its potential to support emerging therapies that are designed to target specific dementia types.
Professor Mahajan, a professor of molecular biophotonics and imaging at the University of Southampton, commented on the urgent need for efficient diagnostic solutions: “There is an urgent, unmet clinical need for more discriminatory, efficient, and cost-effective solutions. Our holistic MX-Raman technique is uniquely equipped to address these challenges, and we want to see this technology lead to vastly improved patient outcomes.”
Additionally, researchers aim to develop a portable device based on this technology, allowing different bodily fluids to be tested in a clinic setting.
Dr. Paul Grundy, Chief Medical Officer at University Hospital Southampton, alluded to how the project may be a success, stating “Research and innovation will be key to us addressing the most important health and care issues facing society.”
Extending photonic technologies to broaden healthcare applications
This diagnostic project isn’t the first time the University of Southampton and the University Hospital Southampton have looked to use photonic technologies to address a broad array of biomedical and environmental needs.
Working with research leaders from the University of Sheffield, the University of York York, and the National Oceanography Centre, the institutions have been developing silicon photonics sensors operating in the mid-infrared (MIR) spectrum.
The MIR wavelength region contains strong molecular absorption features that allow the precise detection of compounds like proteins and other key biomolecules, which is why they were initially focused on therapeutic drug monitoring, liquid biopsy applications for rapid cancer diagnostics, and more.
This wider research effort is one of 36 projects funded in the inaugural round of the UKRI’s Cross Research Council Responsive Mode, which aims to support interdisciplinary innovations. HOPE, the dementia diagnostic project, is among the projects awarded funding from a £32.4 million scheme that drew nearly 900 applications from research teams across the UK.
Lead image: University of Southampton
