Advanced Overview of Biomarkers and Techniques for Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease

The development of early non-invasive diagnosis methods and identification of novel biomarkers are necessary for managing Alzheimer's disease (AD) and facilitating effective prognosis and treatment. AD has multi-factorial nature and involves complex molecular mechanism, which causes neuronal degeneration. The primary challenges in early AD detection include patient heterogeneity and lack of precise diagnosis at the preclinical stage. Several cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood biomarkers have been proposed to show excellent diagnosis ability by identifying tau pathology and cerebral amyloid beta (A beta) for AD. Intense research endeavors are being made to develop ultrasensitive detection techniques and find potent biomarkers for early AD diagnosis. To mitigate AD worldwide, understanding various CSF biomarkers, blood biomarkers, and techniques that can be used for early diagnosis is imperative. This review attempts to provide information regarding AD pathophysiology, genetic and non-genetic factors associated with AD, several potential blood and CSF biomarkers, like neurofilament light, neurogranin, A beta, and tau, along with biomarkers under development for AD detection. Besides, numerous techniques, such as neuroimaging, spectroscopic techniques, biosensors, and neuroproteomics, which are being explored to aid early AD detection, have been discussed. The insights thus gained would help in finding potential biomarkers and suitable techniques for the accurate diagnosis of early AD before cognitive dysfunction.

Automated summary

In order to manage Alzheimer's disease (AD) and improve prognosis and treatment, it is necessary to develop early non-invasive diagnosis methods and identify novel biomarkers. AD has a multifactorial nature and involves complex molecular mechanisms that cause neuronal degeneration. The challenges in early AD detection include patient heterogeneity and the lack of precise diagnosis at the preclinical stage. Several CSF and blood biomarkers, such as tau pathology and cerebral amyloid beta (A beta), have shown excellent diagnostic ability for AD. Intense research efforts are being made to develop ultrasensitive detection techniques and find potent biomarkers for early AD diagnosis.