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Mayo study differentiates what blood-based proteins indicate about brain cell loss
Two proteins that can be measured in the blood – plasma total tau and neurofilament light – are associated with brain cell loss that causes memory and thinking problems. Neurofilament light was more strongly related to worse cognition and neurodegeneration, compared to total tau, according to a preliminary Mayo Clinic study that will be presented in the Emerging Science program at the 2021 virtual American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting.
Brain cell loss, or neurodegeneration, is a common characteristic of many disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia and Lewy body dementia. However, the causes and location of neurodegeneration in the brain vary depending on the disease.