[Biomarker-based diagnostics of Alzheimer's disease : Concept of suspected non-Alzheimer pathology]

Nervenarzt. 2018 Mar;89(3):345-358. doi: 10.1007/s00115-018-0488-2.
[Article in German]

Abstract

In the field of prodromal Alzheimer's disease biomarker-based diagnostics are becoming increasingly more important. Unclear biomarker constellations, such as suspected non-Alzheimer pathology (SNAP) can lead to diagnostic and prognostic uncertainty. The use of biomarker-based research criteria in the clinical routine is therefore not without problems. Despite sometimes contradictory findings it appears to be nearly certain that the biomarker constellation of SNAP indicates an increased risk of progression to dementia, at least in patients with mild cognitive deficits (MCI). This article discusses the prognostic implications of a SNAP result and the diagnostic and prognostic problems of biomarker-based diagnostic criteria are presented based on the SNAP.

Keywords: Amyloid hypothesis; Biomarker; Hippocampal volume; Preclinical phase; Prodromal phase.

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease / blood
  • Alzheimer Disease / diagnosis*
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Biomarkers / blood*
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / blood
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / diagnosis
  • Disease Progression
  • Hippocampus / pathology
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Neurofibrillary Tangles / pathology
  • Organ Size
  • Peptide Fragments / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Phosphorylation
  • Plaque, Amyloid / pathology
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Prodromal Symptoms
  • Prognosis
  • Risk Factors
  • tau Proteins / cerebrospinal fluid

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Biomarkers
  • MAPT protein, human
  • Peptide Fragments
  • amyloid beta-protein (1-42)
  • tau Proteins