Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us

Download Mobile App




CSF biomarkers Compared for Down Syndrome and Inherited Alzheimer’s

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 19 Aug 2021
Although most people with Down’s syndrome will experience brain changes as they age, not everyone will develop Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia. More...
Whilst having Down’s syndrome does put a person at increased risk, estimated at 1 in 3 people in their 50s, and closer to 2 in 3 aged over 60, it is not inevitable for all.

Due to trisomy of chromosome 21 and the resultant extra copy of the amyloid precursor protein gene, nearly all adults with Down syndrome develop Alzheimer's disease pathology by the age of 40 years and are at high risk for dementia given their increased life expectancy compared with adults with Down syndrome in the past.

A large team of Neuroscientists led by those at Washington University School of Medicine (St. Louis, MO, USA) and their colleagues carried out a cross-sectional study that included 341 individuals (178 [52%] women, 163 [48%] men, aged 30–61 years). Participants were 41 adults with Down syndrome, similarly aged carriers of autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease mutations (n=192), and non-carrier siblings (n=108). Participants with baseline cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), available clinical diagnosis, and apolipoprotein E genotype as of January 31, 2019, were included in the analysis.

CSF samples obtained from adults with Down syndrome, similarly aged carriers of autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease mutations, and non-carrier siblings (aged 30–61 years) were analyzed for markers of amyloid β (Aβ1–40, Aβ1–42); tau phosphorylated at threonine 181-related processes; neuronal, axonal, or synaptic injury (total tau, visinin-like protein 1, neurofilament light chain [NfL], synaptosomal-associated protein 25); and astrogliosis and neuroinflammation (chitinase-3-like protein 1 [YKL-40]) via immunoassay.

The team reported that individuals with Down syndrome had patterns of Alzheimer's disease-related CSF biomarkers remarkably similar to carriers of autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease mutations, including reductions in Aβ 1-42 to Aβ 1-40 ratio and increases in markers of phosphorylated tau-related processes; neuronal, axonal, and synaptic injury; and astrogliosis and neuroinflammation, with greater degrees of abnormality in individuals with dementia. Differences included overall higher concentrations of Aβ and YKL-40 in Down syndrome and potential elevations in CSF tau and NfL in the asymptomatic stage (i.e., no dementia symptoms). The study was published in the August edition of the journal Lancet Neurology.


Related Links:
Washington University School of Medicine


Gold Member
Antipsychotic TDM Assays
Saladax Antipsychotic Assays
Collection and Transport System
PurSafe Plus®
New
CBM Analyzer
Complete Blood Morphology (CBM) Analyzer
New
Gold Member
Automatic CLIA Analyzer
Shine i9000
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








Channels

Hematology

view channel
Image: New evidence shows viscoelastic testing can improve assessment of blood clotting during postpartum hemorrhage (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Viscoelastic Testing Could Improve Treatment of Maternal Hemorrhage

Postpartum hemorrhage, severe bleeding after childbirth, remains one of the leading causes of maternal mortality worldwide, yet many of these deaths are preventable. Standard care can be hindered by delays... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: When assessing the same lung biopsy sample, research shows that only 18% of pathologists will agree on a TCMR diagnosis (Photo courtesy of Thermo Fisher)

Molecular Microscope Diagnostic System Assesses Lung Transplant Rejection

Lung transplant recipients face a significant risk of rejection and often require routine biopsies to monitor graft health, yet assessing the same biopsy sample can be highly inconsistent among pathologists.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.