Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

In recent years, scientists have discovered that certain proteins found in blood can reflect what is happening in the brain of those with Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia. These proteins, called "biomarkers", could help doctors detect brain changes earlier and track how diseases progress. However, to use these blood tests effectively, we first need to understand what normal levels of these proteins look like at different ages. In this study, we used 2,500 blood samples from Canadians aged 3 to 79 who took part in the Canadian Health Measures Survey, a national study that represents people across the country. We measured four important biomarkers that are known to change in Alzheimer's disease and other brain disorders. We found that these markers followed a "U-shaped" pattern. They were higher in early childhood, lower during adulthood, and then increased again in older age. Using this information, we created reference intervals that function like growth curves to show typical levels of these proteins across different ages. We also built a user-friendly tool that allows researchers to compare individual test results to normal age ranges. These findings provide a valuable reference for understanding how brain health changes over the lifespan. They will help improve early detection and monitoring of Alzheimer's disease and support healthier aging for Canadians.