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Podcasts

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Early biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease

Blood biomarkers are taking off in the Alzheimer’s disease field, showing promise for diagnosis, prognostication, and treatment monitoring. As more evidence is collected, it is becoming clear that different markers reflect different stages of progression and thus, perform better at certain stages of disease. For example, phosphorylated-tau-231 has been put forward as the most promising candidate for detecting incipient amyloid-beta (Aβ) pathology. Several studies have also shown that neurofilament light, GFAP, and phosphorylated-tau-181 levels in the blood may help to predict the risk of progression to dementia from subjective cognitive decline (SCD) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Research groups across the globe are assessing biomarkers in the very earliest stages of disease. Identifying measures that reflect early pathology or can predict dementia risk prior to symptom onset could improve early diagnosis and prognostication, as well as recognizing high-risk populations for clinical trial enrolment and public health interventions. In this episode, Marta Milà-Alomà, PhD, Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center (BBRC), Barcelona; Pamela Lukasewicz Ferreira, PhD, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh; Madison Honey, PhD candidate, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Amsterdam; and Zahinoor Ismail, MD, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, share their latest work looking at early biomarkers, from plasma biomarkers to mild behavioral impairment.

Date: 7th October 2022