From Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurochemistry to Clinical Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease in the Era of Anti-Amyloid Treatments. Report of Four Patients

Abstract

Analysis of classical cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers, especially when incorporated in a classification/diagnostic system such as the AT(N), may offer a significant diagnostic tool allowing correct identification of Alzheimer’s disease during life. We describe four patients with more or less atypical or mixed clinical presentation, in which the classical cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers amyloid peptide with 42 and 40 amino acids (Aβ42 and Aβ40, respectively), phospho-tau (τP-181) and total tau (τΤ) were measured. Despite the unusual clinical presentation, the biomarker profile was compatible with Alzheimer’s disease in all four patients. The measurement of classical biomarkers in the cerebrospinal fluid may be a useful tool in identifying the biochemical fingerprints of Alzheimer’s disease, especially currently, due to the recent approval of the first disease-modifying treatment, allowing not only typical but also atypical cases to be enrolled in trials of such treatments.

Keywords

• Alzheimer’s disease
• beta amyloid
• tau protein
• phospho-tau
• cerebrospinal fluid
• biomarkers