The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation awarded Elizabeth Thomas, PhD, professional researcher in the department of epidemiology & biostatistics at the UCI Program in Public Health, a one year grant to utilize salivary biomarkers to measure cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
AD is the most common cause of dementia among elderly and is currently ranked as the seventh leading cause of death in the US. Identifying early biomarkers for AD prior to the onset of disease symptoms is of essential importance to the field, not only for preventative measures, but also for potential treatment opportunities. The current standard for biomarker research in AD is using cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) but it is highly invasive due to its use of a spinal needle, thereby limiting its clinical utility. In comparison, saliva collection is easy, non-invasive, and has convenient testing parameters. Up until now, there have been no other research studies using saliva as an alternate biofluid to test AD symptoms.
Thomas’ research plans to utilize saliva to measure biomarkers for AD, including markers of neuronal death and molecules associated with neuroinflammation. Previous studies by Thomas demonstrated that salivary levels of some of these markers were correlated with sensitive cognitive measures and imaging data in dementia-free, elderly individuals, supporting the notion that they may be used to predict early cognitive decline. The current project will quantify levels of several proteins, including amyloid beta, neurofilament light and YKL-40, using sensitive immunoassays, and compare these levels to neuroimaging data and cognitive measures, to determine which biomarkers are most robustly associated with early cognitive decline. Further, saliva biomarkers will be compared among patients with different neurodegenerative conditions besides AD, as well as across other biological fluids, including blood and CSF.
“The promise of using salivary biomarkers for AD can change how we conduct screenings, clinical trials and more,” says Thomas. “It is more amenable for use in diverse settings and in elderly patients, which should be a priority for researchers”.
The promise of using salivary biomarkers for AD can change how we conduct screenings, clinical trials and more. It is more amenable for use in diverse settings and in elderly patients, which should be a priority for researchers.”
– Elizabeth Thomas, PhD
