CSF biomarkers for mild cognitive impairment and early Alzheimer's disease

Three cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers (the 42 amino acid form of β-amyloid (Aβ), total tau, and phospho tau) have been evaluated in numerous scientific papers. These CSF markers have high sensitivity to differentiate early and incipient AD from normal aging, depression, alcohol dementia and Parkinson's disease, but lower specificity against other dementias, such as frontotemporal and Lewy body dementia. If these biomarkers are used in combination with a careful medical history, clinical examination, standard laboratory tests and imaging techniques of the brain, the diagnostic accuracy may be appropriate for the clinical evaluation of MCI cases.