Neurological symptoms and blood neurofilament light levels

Neurofilament light chain (NfL) is an incredibly specific marker of neuronal injury that is not specific for cause or location of the neuronal damage. NfL is increasingly considered as possible biomarker of disease activity in neurological conditions. Several works reviewed the utility of NfL in the different diseases. Nonetheless, NfL is a universal marker of neuronal damage, which interpretation spaces beyond the single disease. Because of this, the interpretation of NfL may benefit by also considering how neurological symptoms relate to its blood concentration. Here, we review how different neurological symptoms can be associated with blood NfL levels with a practical interpretation of it.

Automated summary

NfL serves as a specific marker for neuronal injury, but lacks specificity for the cause or location of the damage, potentially indicating disease activity in neurological conditions. The utility of NfL in different diseases has been reviewed, revealing its universal nature as a marker of neuronal damage that extends beyond individual diseases, with potential benefits from considering the relationship between neurological symptoms and blood NfL levels.