Abstract Body

The diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is evolving through the use of refined clinical and biomarker techniques. The NIA-AA AD Research Framework proposes that AD be defined on its biological basis, i.e., the presence of amyloid and tau. As such, the role of biomarkers is becoming increasingly important. From a clinical perspective, the clinical staging scheme proposed by the Framework adds an element of granularity to the clinical continuum of AD. While neuroimaging and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers have been the mainstay of documenting the presence of AD pathophysiology for many years, more recently, plasma markers for Aβ42, Aβ42/40, p-tau 181, 217 and 231 have become of central interest. While combinations of these analytes are being evaluated, there is no consensus on the specific platforms that should be used to assess these markers. Various prediction formulas involving Aβ42/40, Apolipoprotein E4, p-tau 181, 217 and cognitive markers have been proposed to predict the presence of amyloid and clinical progression. The performance of these algorithms along with clinical staging will need to be validated in the general community to determine if they are applicable for clinical purposes and for the design of randomized controlled trials. The role of these biomarkers may revolutionize the design of studies and eventually be applicable in the clinic.