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Biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease
Leonardo Guzman-Martinez1,2, Ricardo B Maccioni1,2,3, Gonzalo A Farías4,5
1Laboratory of Neurosciences, International Center for Biomedicine (ICC), Chile.
Current Alzheimer Research
|May 18, 2019
Summary
Early detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is crucial. New blood biomarkers, including tau variants, show promise for diagnosing AD with less invasive methods, correlating with cognitive decline and brain atrophy.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biomarker Discovery
- Gerontology
Background:
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementias affect millions globally, with numbers projected to triple by 2050.
- Early and accurate diagnosis of AD remains a significant challenge in clinical settings.
- Current diagnostic methods, including advanced imaging and cerebrospinal fluid analysis, face accessibility and cost barriers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify viable molecular targets for early Alzheimer's disease (AD) diagnosis.
- To validate novel biomarkers for improved treatment and patient outcomes.
- To develop less-invasive and more accessible diagnostic tools for AD.
Main Methods:
- Investigating in vivo brain imaging techniques and PET ligands.
- Analyzing cerebrospinal fluid for hyperphosphorylated tau and amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptide levels.
- Developing and validating blood-based biomarkers, including peripheral tau oligomers and amyloid variants.
Main Results:
- Emerging biomarkers target multiple pathological processes: neuroinflammation, synaptic dysfunction, metabolic impairment, protein aggregation, and neurodegeneration.
- Highly specific and sensitive blood biomarkers are being derived from discoveries in human plasma and platelets.
- A developed blood tau biomarker demonstrates correlation with cognitive decline and neuroimaging evidence of brain atrophy.
Conclusions:
- Novel blood biomarkers offer a promising avenue for less-invasive and more accessible early detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD).
- These biomarkers have the potential to significantly improve clinical trial design and patient management.
- Continued research into blood-based markers is essential to overcome current diagnostic limitations.