Researchers have found that a combination of proteins in the cerebrospinal fluid can reliably identify which patients with early symptoms of dementia will subsequently develop full-blown Alzheimer's disease.

Small single-center studies have shown that cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers may be useful to identify incipient Alzheimer’s disease in patients with mild cognitive impairment, but large-scale multicenter studies have not been conducted.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common dementia disorder, with an estimated 5.3 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s.

There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, but available treatments could have the greatest effect if they are used from an early stage, so methods are needed for early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s.

Changes in the brain are reflected in the CSF in the form of biomarkers. Previous smaller studies have shown that the proteins beta-amyloid, tau and phosphorylated tau in the CSF can be used to make an early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

Dr Niklas Mattsson and colleagues at hospitals in Sweden, elsewhere in Europe and the USA have confirmed this in a large multicentre study with more than 1,500 participants.

"These methods make it easier to identify the disease, which is essential for making a correct diagnosis early on," he says.

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References:
1. Niklas Mattsson, et al. CSF Biomarkers and Incipient Alzheimer Disease in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment. JAMA. 2009;302(4):385-393.

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