Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein in Serum is Increased in Alzheimer's Disease and Correlates with Cognitive Impairment

J Alzheimers Dis. 2019;67(2):481-488. doi: 10.3233/JAD-180325.

Abstract

Reliable blood biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD) are missing. We measured astroglial GFAP in patients with AD (n = 28), frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD, n = 35), Parkinson's disease (n = 11), Lewy body dementias (n = 19), and controls (n = 34). Serum GFAP was increased in AD (p < 0.001) and DLB/PDD (p < 0.01), and cerebrospinal fluid GFAP was increased in all neurodegenerative diseases (p < 0.001). Serum GFAP correlated with the Mini-Mental State Examination score (r= -0.42, p < 0.001) and might be a follow-up marker in clinical trials. Sensitivity and specificity of serum GFAP for AD versus bvFTD was 89% and 79% and might be the first blood biomarker in the differential diagnosis of AD and bvFTD.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; GFAP; Lewy body dementia; Parkinson’s disease; astrocyte; biomarker; cerebrospinal fluid; differential diagnosis; frontotemporal dementia; serum.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Alzheimer Disease / blood*
  • Alzheimer Disease / psychology*
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / psychology*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Frontotemporal Dementia / blood
  • Frontotemporal Dementia / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Frontotemporal Dementia / psychology
  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / blood*
  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Humans
  • Lewy Body Disease / blood
  • Lewy Body Disease / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Lewy Body Disease / psychology
  • Male
  • Mental Status and Dementia Tests
  • Middle Aged
  • Parkinson Disease / blood
  • Parkinson Disease / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Parkinson Disease / psychology
  • Pilot Projects
  • Sensitivity and Specificity

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • GFAP protein, human
  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein