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One of my questions elated to a previous discussion - how can we measure results? Amyloid PET scans are expensive, but still seem to be the gold standard. Can plasma biomarkers (tau181, tau217, ab42/ab40 ratios) be a more practical substitute?
Getting repeated cognitive testing would seem challenging as well. Many of us are trying other strategies than just LiO, but it would be nice if we could measure results!
Replies to "One of my questions elated to a previous discussion - how can we measure results? Amyloid..."
@ralpha4 worked with AI for some intel.
Yes, anti-amyloid therapies do cause corresponding changes in the Aβ42/40 ratio, often showing an increase in the ratio in CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) as plaques are cleared from the brain, reflecting the relative shift in amyloid species, while the ratio generally decreases in the blood (plasma) but serves as a key biomarker to predict amyloid status and monitor treatment effectiveness, correlating with brain amyloid PET scans.
How it Works:
Amyloid Production: The brain produces both Aβ40 and Aβ42 peptides, with Aβ42 being more prone to aggregation into plaques.
Therapy Action: Anti-amyloid drugs target and remove these plaques from the brain.
CSF Changes: As plaques (rich in Aβ42) are cleared, the balance shifts, leading to a higher Aβ42/40 ratio in the CSF, indicating successful amyloid removal.
Plasma Changes: In the blood, the Aβ42/40 ratio typically decreases, but this decrease is a strong indicator of reduced brain amyloid pathology, correlating well with amyloid PET scans.
Clinical Significance:
Screening: The plasma Aβ42/40 ratio helps identify individuals with significant brain amyloid, reducing the need for expensive PET scans.
Monitoring: Changes in the ratio (both CSF and plasma) help track treatment response, alongside other biomarkers like p-tau (phosphorylated tau).
Predicting Progression: Lower baseline Aβ42/40 ratios are linked to faster cognitive decline, highlighting its role in early disease stages.
In Summary: The Aβ42/40 ratio is a crucial blood-based biomarker that responds to anti-amyloid treatments, reflecting the removal of plaques and helping to assess disease status and treatment efficacy, despite the different directional changes seen in CSF versus plasma.
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@ralpha4 great question. We have to accept that we
Can only each use our own mon-objective impressions to gauge our state/progress/lack
Of/etc. We can’t be our own control
That said, I have the same question about (for instance) the available blood tests for ab40/42 ratios. I am not sure if both Tau and Amyloid markers are impacted whether the individual values conceivably might be lower but present constant ratios?