Cerebrospinal fluid α-synuclein contributes to the differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease

Abstract

IntroductionThe ability of Alzheimer's disease (AD) cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers (amyloid β peptide 1–42, total tau, and phosphorylated tau) to discriminate AD from related disorders is limited. Biomarkers for other concomitant pathologies (e.g., CSF α-synuclein [α-syn] for Lewy body pathology) may be needed to further improve the differential diagnosis. MethodsCSF total α-syn, phosphorylated α-syn at Ser129, and AD CSF biomarkers were evaluated with Luminex immunoassays in 367 participants, followed by validation in 74 different neuropathologically confirmed cases. ResultsCSF total α-syn, when combined with amyloid β peptide 1–42 and either total tau or phosphorylated tau, improved the differential diagnosis of AD versus frontotemporal dementia, Lewy body disorders, or other neurological disorders. The diagnostic accuracy of the combined models attained clinical relevance (area under curve ∼0.9) and was largely validated in neuropathologically confirmed cases. DiscussionCombining CSF biomarkers representing AD and Lewy body pathologies may have clinical value in the differential diagnosis of AD.