Neuroproteomics tools in clinical practice

• Proteomics has proven a useful tool in clinical research
• Novel biomarker candidates can be identified in a reliable manner
• Disturbed biochemical pathways involved in disease progression can be targeted

Neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are characterized by neuronal impairment that leads to disease-specific changes in the neuronal proteins. The early diagnosis of these disorders is difficult, thus, the need for identifying, developing and using valid clinically applicable biomarkers that meet the criteria of precision, specificity and repeatability is very vital. The application of rapidly emerging technology such as mass spectrometry (MS) in proteomics has opened new avenues to accelerate biomarker discovery, both for diagnostic as well as for prognostic purposes. This review summarizes the most recent advances in the mass spectrometry-based neuroproteomics and analyses the current and future directions in the biomarker discovery for the neurodegenerative diseases. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Neuroproteomics: Applications in Neuroscience and Neurology.