Biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases
1Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. oskar.hansson@med.lu.se.
Nature Medicine
|June 4, 2021
Summary
New blood tests for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) are revolutionizing diagnostics. These accessible biomarkers aid in clinical trials and patient monitoring for neurodegenerative diseases.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience and Neurology
- Biomarker Discovery and Development
Background:
- Critical need for reliable biomarkers in neurodegenerative diseases for improved clinical diagnosis and therapeutic development.
- Established use of positron emission tomography (PET) for detecting Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathologies like amyloid-beta and tau.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements in neurodegenerative disease biomarkers.
- To discuss the potential of novel biomarkers in clinical practice and research.
- To highlight the development of accessible, cost-effective blood-based biomarkers.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD).
- Focus on positron emission tomography (PET) and emerging blood-based biomarker technologies.
- Inclusion of markers for alpha-synuclein pathology, general neurodegeneration, and glial activation.
Main Results:
- Significant progress in developing blood-based biomarkers for AD pathologies (amyloid-beta, tau).
- Emerging biomarkers for Parkinson's disease (PD) alpha-synuclein pathology.
- Development of markers for general neurodegeneration and glial activation.
Conclusions:
- Blood-based biomarkers show promise to revolutionize AD diagnosis globally.
- Novel biomarkers are crucial for advancing the diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
- Future implementation of these biomarkers in clinical trials and practice is anticipated.
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