Introduction: Differential diagnosis of Parkinson-plus patients (PSP, CBD, MSA) and Parkinson's disease (PD) patients is often not straightforward, particularly in atypical cases or at the initial stages of the diseases. Classic CSF biomarkers (amyloid-beta - Aβ42, tau protein - τT and phosphorylated tau protein - τP-181) are established biomarkers in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). CSF a-synuclein (α-syn) has emerged as a promising biomarker in patients with Parkinsonism. The aim of this study was to analyze the CSF biochemical profile of patients with Parkinsonism.
Methods: We analyzed the CSF biomarker profile (Aβ42, τT, τP-181, α-syn) and all relevant ratios in 68 patients with Parkinsonism (19 PSP, 15 MSA, 17 CBD, 17 PD) and 18 controls, diagnosed by latest established diagnostic criteria.
Results: CBD patients exhibited elevated τT and decreased Aβ42 compared to the other groups. Five CBD, one PSP patient and one control had a typical AD CSF profile. After exclusion of these patients, the τT/Aβ42 ratio was significantly elevated in MSA patients compared to PD patients and provided excellent specificity and adequate sensitivity in their differential diagnosis.
Conclusion: CSF biochemical profile analysis is important in distinguishing AD patients with a CBS phenotype from non-AD CBS patients. The τT/Aβ42 ratio is useful in the differential diagnosis of MSA from PD.
Keywords: Beta amyloid; Biomarkers; Cerebrospinal fluid; Parkinson-plus; Tau proteins; a-Synuclein.
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