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Updated: Mar 13, 2026
A Technique for Serial Collection of Cerebrospinal Fluid from the Cisterna Magna in Mouse
Published on: November 10, 2008
CSF β-amyloid as a putative biomarker of disease progression in multiple sclerosis
Anna M Pietroboni1, Francesca Schiano di Cola1, Marta Scarioni1
1Neurology Unit, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, "Dino Ferrari" Center, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
Background:
Neurodegeneration plays a major role in determining disability in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Hence, there is increasing need to identify reliable biomarkers, which could serve as prognostic measure of disease progression.
Objectives:
To assess whether cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tau and β-amyloid (Aβ) levels were altered in newly diagnosed MS patients and correlated with disability. Moreover, we investigated whether these CSF biomarkers associate with macroscopic brain tissue damage measures.
Methods:
CSF Aβ and tau levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in CSF samples from 48 newly diagnosed MS patients, followed-up clinically for 3 years by recording their Expanded Disability Status Scale score at 6-month intervals, and 45 controls. All patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging at baseline and at the end of follow-up to quantify their lesion load (LL).
Results:
CSF Aβ levels were significantly reduced in patients compared to controls ( p < 0.001). Lower CSF Aβ levels at baseline were a disability predictor at 3-year follow-up ( p = 0.009). CSF tau levels correlated with T2- and T1-LL ( p < 0.001).
Conclusion:
CSF Aβ reduction is a promising biomarker of neurodegeneration and may predict patients' clinical outcome. Therefore, CSF Aβ should be considered as a potential biomarker of prognostic value.
