Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 25, 2026
09:49
In Vitro Assay for Studying the Aggregation of Tau Protein and Drug Screening
Published on: November 20, 2018
Tau368 improves p-tau diagnostic accuracy for FTLD-tau from FTLD-TDP
Przemysław R Kac1,2, Katheryn A Q Cousins3, Alicja Szadziewska4
1Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, 431 80, Mölndal, Sweden. przemyslaw.kac@gu.se.
Acta Neuropathologica
|June 24, 2026
Summary
New cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers, including phosphorylated-tau (p-tau) ratios, show promise for diagnosing Alzheimer
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biochemistry
- Medical Diagnostics
Background:
- Tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration due to tau (FTLD-tau), are complex neurodegenerative disorders.
- Accurate differentiation between tauopathies and other neurodegenerative conditions is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.
- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers are vital tools for understanding and diagnosing these diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare CSF biomarkers of phosphorylated-tau (p-tau) and total tau (t-tau) across different tauopathies and non-tau conditions.
- To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of novel p-tau ratios in differentiating FTLD-tau from other neurodegenerative diseases.
- To investigate the correlation of these biomarkers with tau pathology burden at autopsy.
Main Methods:
- Comparison of CSF levels of p-tau181, p-tau212, tau368, t-tau, and tau368/t-tau ratio in AD, FTLD-tau, FTLD-TDP, αSyn disease, and controls.
- Calculation and diagnostic accuracy assessment of p-tau/tau368 ratios in FTLD, excluding high/intermediate AD neuropathologic change (ADNC).
- Correlation analysis between CSF biomarker levels and post-mortem tau burden in brain regions.
Main Results:
- CSF p-tau181 and p-tau212 were significantly elevated in AD compared to all other groups.
- The tau368/t-tau ratio was significantly lower in AD.
- CSF p-tau181, p-tau212, and their ratios with tau368 were higher in FTLD-tau versus non-tau groups, improving diagnostic accuracy for FTLD-tau vs. FTLD-TDP.
- Biomarker ratios correlated significantly with tau burden in AD and FTLD-tau at autopsy.
Conclusions:
- Unique patterns of relative p-tau epitope levels in CSF differentiate ADNC and FTLD-tau.
- Novel CSF p-tau ratios enhance the diagnostic accuracy for FTLD-tau, particularly distinguishing it from FTLD-TDP.
- These findings could refine diagnostic criteria and inform clinical trial designs for tauopathies.
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