Publications by authors named "A Heslegrave"
How well do plasma Alzheimer's disease biomarkers reflect the CSF amyloid status?
J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry
December 2024
Background: Can plasma biomarkers as well as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) perform in the separation of amyloid-beta-positive (Aβ+) vs amyloid-beta-negative (Aβ-) groups across an age range seen in an NHS cognitive disorder clinic?
Methods: As part of the routine diagnostic investigation of 111 clinic patients who had contemporaneous blood and CSF samples taken, patients were categorised into Aβ+ and Aβ- groups based on their CSF in an Aβ42/40 ratio. We then evaluated four single molecule array (Simoa) Quanterix assays, quantifying single plasma analytes and ratios (p-tau217, p-tau217/Aβ42 ratio, p-tau181, p-tau181/Aβ42 ratio and Aβ42/40 ratio) in their ability to distinguish between these groups and the effect of age.
Results: The median (range) age of participants was 66 (55-79) years with 48 females (43.
The role of myeloid cells (granulocytes and monocytes) in neurodegeneration and neurodegenerative disorders (NDD) is indisputable. Here we discuss the roles of myeloid cells in neurodegenerative diseases, and the recent advances in biofluid and imaging myeloid biomarker research with a focus on methods that can be used in the clinic. For this review, evidence from three neurodegenerative diseases will be included, Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and multiple sclerosis (MS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn animal models, brain neurodegeneration biomarkers drain into cervical lymph nodes (CLNs), and this drainage function is reduced with ageing. If this occurred in humans, CLNs may provide a readily accessible measure of this aspect of protein clearance. We tested this hypothesis in people using ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is prevalent among military personnel and is linked to an increased risk of dementia, with the ADVANCE-TBI study focusing on the neurological effects of major battlefield trauma using blood biomarkers like NfL and GFAP.
- The study involved 1,145 servicemen and veterans, where TBI was identified in 16.9% of those exposed to major trauma, revealing significant mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD, alongside impaired mobility and quality of life.
- Elevated GFAP levels were found post-TBI, particularly in more severe cases, indicating a correlation with mental health challenges and increased unemployment, demonstrating the long-term impact of TBI on military personnel.
Article Synopsis
- Delirium can lead to long-term brain problems, and the study looked at specific brain markers related to both delirium and dementia.
- Researchers studied 35 people with ongoing delirium and compared them to 20 people with dementia to see how their brain markers were different.
- The findings showed that certain brain markers were higher in people with persistent delirium, suggesting that this condition affects the brain in specific ways even if someone has dementia too.