A utilização do líquido cefalorraquidiano (LCR) no diagnóstico diferencial da doença de Alzheimer

Abstract

The number of individuals affected by dementia increases as the population ages. Neurodegenerative diseases are the main cause of dementia and Alzheimers´s disease is believed to affect the majority of these patients. The AD diagnosis isn´t specific and is based on laboratory, clinical and imaging tests. By observing the AD pathophysiology, it is noticed that there are some cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) proteins that function as AD biomarkers, namely Aβ-42, T-tau e P-tau. Therefore, the ability to follow the clinical course of the disease by means of CSF biomarkers provides information on the pathophysiology of AD, contributing to the development of new drugs, resulting in improved quality of life of patients with AD. In view of the facts presented, this study aimed to observe the CSF biomarkers realated to AD and that are able to differentiate AD from other neurodegenerative diseases. To achieve the objectives of this study, we conducted a literature review and data collection based on scientific articles on CSF biomarkers in the diagnosis of AD, found in online periodical portals and published in databases such as Scielo and PubMed. Therefore, several studies express that the levels of the T-tau and P-tau proteins are elevated in patients with AD. Thus, it can be conclued that these proteins present in the CSF are capable of early and differential diagnosis of AD, but their use is still recommended only for research purposes, due to the variability of the results found and the invasiveness of the exam.