Cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers for diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease: beta-amyloid(1-42), tau, phospho-tau-181 and total protein

Drugs Today (Barc). 2007 Jun;43(6):423-31. doi: 10.1358/dot.2007.43.6.1067341.

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease is a chronic progressive neurodegenerative disease and it is the most prevalent type of dementia. Diagnostic means, including neuroimaging methods, are continuously improving. Nevertheless, it is still a challenge to increase the sensitivity and specificity of a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Two diagnostic areas are especially challenging: first, differentiating early stages of Alzheimer's disease from mild cognitive impairment and normal aging; and second, increasing diagnostic specificity especially when similar clinical symptoms are shared by various types of dementia. To date, the analysis of beta-amyloid(1-42), total tau and phospho-tau-181 from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are the best biological markers to diagnose Alzheimer's disease and differentiate it from other forms of dementia with a high reliability and validity. This article reviews the use of CSF biomarkers and of putative blood-related markers.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Alzheimer Disease / diagnosis*
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / blood
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Biomarkers / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Cognition Disorders / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Cognition Disorders / diagnosis
  • Dementia / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Dementia / diagnosis
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Humans
  • Peptide Fragments / blood
  • Peptide Fragments / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Phosphorylation
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • tau Proteins / blood
  • tau Proteins / cerebrospinal fluid*

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Biomarkers
  • Peptide Fragments
  • amyloid beta-protein (1-42)
  • tau Proteins