Serum Neurofilament Light Chain in the Diagnostic Evaluation of Patients with Cognitive Symptoms in the Neurological Consultation of a Tertiary Center

J Alzheimers Dis. 2023;95(2):391-397. doi: 10.3233/JAD-221208.

Abstract

Serum light-chain neurofilaments (sNfL) have been investigated as a potential minimally invasive biomarker that could help in the diagnosis of patients with cognitive symptoms. We assessed the correlation between sNfL and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers (sNfL versus CSF NfL, ρ= 0.70, p < 0.001), the performance of sNfL in distinguishing controls from patients (controls versus frontotemporal dementia, area under curve 0.86), and sNfL differences in mild cognitive impairment according to amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition (Aβ versus non-Aβ, p = 0.017). Our results support the role of this biomarker in the screening and risk stratification of patients followed in a neurological consultation of a tertiary center.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; biomarkers; frontotemporal dementia; mild cognitive impairment; neurofilament light chain.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease* / diagnosis
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Biomarkers / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Cognition
  • Cognitive Dysfunction* / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Cognitive Dysfunction* / diagnosis
  • Humans
  • Intermediate Filaments
  • Neurofilament Proteins
  • tau Proteins / cerebrospinal fluid

Substances

  • tau Proteins
  • Neurofilament Proteins
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Biomarkers