THE TAU, Aβ AND NFL BIOMARKERS IN THE PROGRESSION OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease is the most frequent cause of dementia, characterized by an irreversible neurodegenerative process that mainly affects the elderly. Diagnosis detected early, as well as knowledge about the progression of the disease course, favors the choice of more assertive treatments and, consequently, allows greater well-being and quality of life for affected patients. However, currently, the invasiveness and high costs for its diagnosis become another barrier, not only for clinical performance, but also for studies that may come to elucidate the aspects that are still unclear about this disease. Therefore, this study sought to investigate blood biomarkers capable of detecting the progression of Alzheimer's disease through an integrative literature review with the identification of relevant productions on the subject. Data collection was performed using PubMed and Science Direct databases with the analysis of studies published from 2016 to 2021, related to the biomarkers Tau, beta-amyloid and light chain neurofilament. Among them, 8 works were selected according to the inclusion criteria established in this study. Thus, it is concluded that although the findings presented in the studies are relevant, to date there are no highly accurate biomarkers for detecting the progression of Alzheimer's disease, and further studies are needed to ensure a clear and consistent diagnosis.