Roman Boeer

Traces of forgetting: What blood reveals about Alzheimer's disease

As Alois Alzheimer described more than a century ago, specific neuropathological alterations are still considered defining features of Alzheimer’s disease. These include, on the one hand, the intracellular accumulation of tau protein in the form of neurofibrillary tangles and, on the other, the extracellular deposition of β-amyloid as so-called plaques. For a long time, reliable detection of these pathological proteins was only possible through cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis or via neuroimaging techniques. However, even when medically indicated, these methods are costly, resource-intensive, and partially invasive. With the advent of highly sensitive analytical platforms such as the Sysmex HISCL Immunoassay Analyzer, relevant biomarkers for the early detection of Alzheimer’s pathology can now be quantified from peripheral blood samples. This enables diagnostics that are less risky, less burdensome for patients, and significantly more cost-effective.