Dementia neuronal degeneration

Apart from the classic biomarkers, i.e., tau protein(s) and their phosphorylated forms as well as AP peptides, several other candidate biomarkers have been tested, as recently and extensively reviewed by Frank et al. (2003). Neuronal thread proteins (NTPs) are a family of molecules expressed in the CNS. In a post mortem study, brains of AD patients expressed significant increases of NTP immunoreactivity (de la Monte and Wands, 1992). Following this finding, CSF examination for NTP revealed increased concentration of NTP which correlated tvith progression of dementia and neuronal degeneration (de la Monte et al, 1992). Sensitivity and specificity of this protein as a possible marker of AD, however, have not been determined in a large enough number of patients. 

Tau pathology in AD is circumscribed to neurons, while in other tauopathies, such as corticobasal degeneration, PSP and familial multiple system tauopathy with presenile dementia, both nerve cells and ghal cells are affected (210,211). PINl binds hyperphosphorylated tau, resulting in depletion of soluble PINl in AD brains. 

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