Current Biomarkers for Alzheimer’s Disease: From CSF to Blood

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia and affects a large portion of the elderly population worldwide. Currently, a diagnosis of AD depends on the clinical symptoms of dementia, magnetic resonance imaging to determine brain volume, and positron emission tomography imaging to detect brain amyloid or tau deposition. The best characterized biological fluid markers for AD are decreased levels of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) 42 and increased levels of phosphorylated tau and total tau in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). However, less invasive and easily detectable biomarkers for the diagnosis of AD, especially at the early stage, are still under development. Here, we provide an overview of various biomarkers identified in CSF and blood for the diagnostics of AD over the last 25 years. CSF biomarkers that reflect the three hallmarks of AD, amyloid deposition, neurofibrillary tangles, and neurodegeneration, are well established. Based on the need to start treatment in asymptomatic people with AD and to screen for AD risk in large numbers of young, healthy individuals, the development of biomarkers for AD is shifting from CSF to blood. Elements of the core pathogenesis of AD in blood, including Aβ42, tau proteins, plasma proteins, or lipids have shown their usefulness and capabilities in AD diagnosis. We also highlight some novel identified blood biomarkers (including Aβ42/Aβ43, p-tau 181, Aβ42/APP669-711, structure of Aβ in blood, and flotillin) for AD.