title: [Role of biomarkers in the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease].
abstract: Alheimer's disease is the most frequent cause of cognitive decline and behavioral abnormalities in adults. Diagnosis is currently made in the advanced phases. An an early diagnosis in the prodromal phase (or earlier if possible) is required for the prevention of this disease, its early management and the development of potential therapies that could alter its natural course. The syndromic concept of mild cognitive impairment (the presence of detectable and quantifiable deterioration in one of the cognitive domains but without affecting -or without substantially affecting- autonomic performance of instrumental function) and its variants has aided understanding of the predementia stages of Alheimer's disease, even though its etiology may involve multiple factors. The use of biomarkers such as determination of the proteins involved in the disease in cerebrospinal fluid (Aβ₄₂-amyloid, total and phosphorylated tau) and measurement of the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex with magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography (both glucose and amyloid measurements), alone or combined, could allow early and etiologic diagnosis. Patients with Alzheimer's disease show reduced Aβ₄₂-amyloid levels and increased total and phosphorylated tau levels in cerebrospinal fluid.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Alzheimer y Otros Trastornos Cognitivos, Servicio de Neurología, ICN, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, España. JLMOLI@clinic.ub.es
authors.forename: José L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Molinuevo Guix
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers