Cerebrospinal Fluid Test Can Pick Up Alzheimer's Before Symptoms Appear

Analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid can detect whether a person has Alzheimer's disease before symptoms appear. In Alzheimer's disease, a protein fragment called beta-amyloid forms clumps between the nerve cells of the brain, causing the disease's characteristic effects on memory and function. The nerve fibres also become tangled, causing certain proteins to be released into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Scientists at the University of Gothenburg's Sahlgrenska Academy have developed a way of measuring these proteins and protein fragments in the CSF so that they can be used as biomarkers, making the detection of the disease possible before symptoms appear.