Clinical Utility and Analytical Challenges in Measurement of Cerebrospinal Fluid Amyloid-β1–42 and τ Proteins as Alzheimer Disease Biomarkers

Summary: Alzheimer's disease is a complex progressive neurodegenerative disease leading to loss of memory and cognitive function, and pathologically characterized by amyloid plaques and tangles that are formed largely by fibular forms of beta-amyloid and hyper-phosphorylated tau proteins. During the past two decades, cumulative molecular and clinical studies have provided the basis for our understanding of the molecular characteristics and progressive pathologic features of these hallmarks.