Biomarkers.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD), Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB), and other neurodegenerative diseases (NDD) develop over an extended preclinical period, sharing common risk factors and underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. Plasma proteins, including Amyloid-beta peptides (Aβ) and Tau isoforms, facilitate differential diagnosis of NDD in their earliest stages, allowing for timely delivery of targeted interventions. Blood-based biomarkers may also serve as a reliable means of monitoring disease progression and evaluating the effectiveness of individualized interventions across the spectrum of disease.

Biomarkers.

Background: Phosphorylated tau (p-tau) is a specific blood biomarker for Alzheimer disease (AD) pathology, with p-tau217 having the greatest utility. Increased and simplified access to blood biomarkers is crucial for early diagnosis, proper patient management and prompt initiation of disease-modifying treatments. The DROP-AD project investigates the capability of finger-prick collection to accurately measure p-tau217, neurofilament light (NfL), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP).

Biomarkers.

Background: The characterization of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and AD related dementias (ADRD) pathophysiology has been revolutionized by the development of highly sensitive blood-based biomarkers. Although blood-based biomarkers allow for greater access, cost effectiveness, and scalability, there are limitations for their implementation in resource-constrained low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and rural settings, where access to equipment, freezers, and assays is often limited. Dried blood spot (DBS) collection emerges as a promising, convenient, and cost-effective method for acquiring blood samples in these contexts, but it is unclear whether highly sensitive assays typically applied to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), plasma, or serum can detect biomarker concentrations accurately.

Plasma p-tau and neurofilament/p-tau ratio in differentiating Alzheimer's disease from syndromes associated with frontotemporal lobar degeneration.

Introduction: Plasma-based biomarkers have shown promise for clinical implementation, but their accuracy in differentiating Alzheimer's disease (AD) from syndromes associated with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) has yet to be fully investigated. This study assessed the potential of plasma biomarkers for differential diagnosis.

Methods: This cohort study included 374 participants (96 AD, 278 FTLD).

Some like it hot: adaptation to the urban heat island in common dandelion.

The Urban Heat Island Effect (UHIE) is a globally consistent pressure on biological species living in cities. Adaptation to the UHIE may be necessary for urban wild flora to persist in cities, but experimental evidence is scarce. Here, we report evidence of adaptive evolution in a perennial plant species in response to the UHIE.