Abstract
The diagnosis of Alzheimers disease (AD) is mainly performed by excluding other disorders with similar clinical features. In addition, an analysis of symptoms and signs, blood studies and brain imaging are major ingredients of the clinical diagnostic work-up. However, the diagnosis based on these instruments is unsatisfactory, indicating the need of a highly sensitive and realiable approaches, selective for AD and based on biological markers. Ideally, such markers should reflect the pathophysiological mechanisms of AD, which according to the current hypotheses, derive from the actions of two major protein aggregates, the extracellular β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques and the neurofibrillary tangles. Since AD is a multifactorial disease, other factors that cause neuronal insult and that contribute to neuronal degeneration in AD include free radical and oxidative stress promoting molecules, proinflammatory cytokines and neurotoxic agents. In this context, the search for anomalous levels or changes in the molecular patterns of Aβ(1-42) or Aβ(1-40), hyperphosphorylated tau isoforms, oxidation products in the cell or cytokines such as interleukin-1 or 6 facilitates the selection of biomarkers in AD. There is clear evidence that the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of Aβ(1-42) are significantly reduced in AD patients as compared with senile controls, while increased levels of tau have been revealed. The CSF levels of these proteins reflect their metabolism in the central nervous system. Approaches using ELISA and immunochemical methods for the quantification of these markers in CSF have been preferentially used. Diagnosis criteria and number of patients exhibits variations in the different reports, while clinico-pathological studies are scarce. An increasing number of studies suggest that supplementary use of these CSF markers preferably in combination, adds to the accuracy of an AD diagnosis.
Keywords: alzheimers disease, mild cognitive impairment, molecular markers, cerebrospinal fluid, tau protein, beta-amyloid
Current Alzheimer Research
Title: Biological Markers of Alzheimers Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment
Volume: 1 Issue: 4
Author(s): Ricardo B. Maccioni, Manuel Lavados, Cristobal B. Maccioni and Ariadna Mendoza-Naranjo
Affiliation:
Keywords: alzheimers disease, mild cognitive impairment, molecular markers, cerebrospinal fluid, tau protein, beta-amyloid
Abstract: The diagnosis of Alzheimers disease (AD) is mainly performed by excluding other disorders with similar clinical features. In addition, an analysis of symptoms and signs, blood studies and brain imaging are major ingredients of the clinical diagnostic work-up. However, the diagnosis based on these instruments is unsatisfactory, indicating the need of a highly sensitive and realiable approaches, selective for AD and based on biological markers. Ideally, such markers should reflect the pathophysiological mechanisms of AD, which according to the current hypotheses, derive from the actions of two major protein aggregates, the extracellular β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques and the neurofibrillary tangles. Since AD is a multifactorial disease, other factors that cause neuronal insult and that contribute to neuronal degeneration in AD include free radical and oxidative stress promoting molecules, proinflammatory cytokines and neurotoxic agents. In this context, the search for anomalous levels or changes in the molecular patterns of Aβ(1-42) or Aβ(1-40), hyperphosphorylated tau isoforms, oxidation products in the cell or cytokines such as interleukin-1 or 6 facilitates the selection of biomarkers in AD. There is clear evidence that the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of Aβ(1-42) are significantly reduced in AD patients as compared with senile controls, while increased levels of tau have been revealed. The CSF levels of these proteins reflect their metabolism in the central nervous system. Approaches using ELISA and immunochemical methods for the quantification of these markers in CSF have been preferentially used. Diagnosis criteria and number of patients exhibits variations in the different reports, while clinico-pathological studies are scarce. An increasing number of studies suggest that supplementary use of these CSF markers preferably in combination, adds to the accuracy of an AD diagnosis.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Maccioni B. Ricardo, Lavados Manuel, Maccioni B. Cristobal and Mendoza-Naranjo Ariadna, Biological Markers of Alzheimers Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment, Current Alzheimer Research 2004; 1 (4) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1567205043332018
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1567205043332018 |
Print ISSN 1567-2050 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1875-5828 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
New Advances in the Prevention, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Rehabilitation of Alzheimer's Disease
Aims and Scope: Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) poses a significant global health challenge, with an increasing prevalence that demands concerted efforts to advance our understanding and strategies for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation. This thematic issue aims to bring together cutting-edge research and innovative approaches from multidisciplinary perspectives to address ...read more
Alzheimer's Disease Drug Development
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. Despite decades of research, no cure or disease-modifying treatment is available yet. Therefore, the need for developing effective therapies to treat Alzheimer's disease is an urgent matter. This special issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of ...read more
Current updates on the Role of Neuroinflammation in Neurodegenerative Disorders
Neuroinflammation is an invariable hallmark of chronic and acute neurodegenerative disorders and has long been considered a potential drug target for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and dementia. Significant evidence of inflammatory processes as a feature of AD is provided by the presence of inflammatory markers in plasma, CSF and postmortem brain ...read more
Deep Learning for Advancing Alzheimer's Disease Research
Alzheimer's disease (AD) poses a significant global health challenge, with an increasing number of individuals affected yearly. Deep learning, a subfield of artificial intelligence, has shown immense potential in various domains, including healthcare. This thematic issue of Current Alzheimer Research explores the application of deep learning techniques in advancing our ...read more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Announcements
Related Articles
-
Remodeling Chromatin and Stress Resistance in the Central Nervous System: Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors as Novel and Broadly Effective Neuroprotective Agents
Current Drug Targets - CNS & Neurological Disorders Bacterial Protein Toxins: Current and Potential Clinical Use
Current Medicinal Chemistry Editorial (Thematic Issue: Neuroinflammation a Common Link in Neurodegenerative Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders)
Current Pharmaceutical Design Re-Wiring the Circuit: Mitochondria as a Pharmacological Target in Liver Disease
Current Medicinal Chemistry Is there a Rational Approach for Increasing Drug Specificity? Considerations on CNS Target Choice and Validation
Recent Patents on CNS Drug Discovery (Discontinued) Natural Compounds with Proteasome Inhibitory Activity for Cancer Prevention and Treatment
Current Protein & Peptide Science Stressing Out Hsp90 in Neurotoxic Proteinopathies
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry IAPs, their Antagonists and their Role in Neurological Disease and Cancer
Current Medicinal Chemistry - Anti-Inflammatory & Anti-Allergy Agents Directions for Enhancement of the Therapeutic Efficacy of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Different Neurodegenerative and Cardiovascular Diseases: Current Status and Future Perspectives
Current Stem Cell Research & Therapy Neuroprotection and Regeneration Strategies for Spinal Cord Repair
Current Pharmaceutical Design Editorial [Hot Topic: RNA Granules in Health and Disease (Guest Editor: Dra. Graciela L. Boccaccio)]
Current Chemical Biology Cannabis sativa L. Constituents and Their Role in Neuroinflammation
Current Bioactive Compounds Patent Annotations
Recent Patents on Cardiovascular Drug Discovery Are Cerebral Perfusion and Atrophy Linked in Multiple Sclerosis? Evidence for a Multifactorial Approach to Assess Neurodegeneration
Current Neurovascular Research Pharmacological Applications of Antioxidants: Lights and Shadows
Current Drug Targets Drug Repositioning: A Unique Approach to Refurbish Drug Discovery
Current Drug Discovery Technologies Minocycline: Neuroprotective Mechanisms in Parkinsons Disease
Current Pharmaceutical Design Involvement of IL-1R/TLR Signalling in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis and Multiple Sclerosis
Current Molecular Medicine The Endocannabinoid System in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Current Pharmaceutical Design Protein Aggregation in Neurodegenerative Diseases: Insights from Computational Analyses
Current Bioinformatics