Biochemical Markers for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease

Many biomarkers are currently being searched in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. These diseases share some common pathophysiological mechanisms and the presence of protein aggregates. Measurements of those proteins -like tau, amyloid-beta peptide and α-synuclein-, as well other mediators of neurodegeneration in cerebrospinal fluid and peripheral fluids have been explored as biomarkers. Here we summarize some of the available data on biochemical markers for neurodegenerative diseases, considering advantages and drawbacks of each marker and method of analysis.