Mirror Image of the Amyloid-β Species in Cerebrospinal Fluid and Cerebral Amyloid in Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation in brain that is paralleled by Aβ_1-42 reduction in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). We analyzed the pattern of Aβ peptides, including the N- and C-terminal truncated fragments, in brain and CSF from two familial and one sporadic AD cases. We found that (i) each patient is characterized by a distinct Aβ profile in CSF and brain deposits and (ii) the CSF Aβ pattern mirrors the Aβ profile of cerebral amyloid. These results suggest the existence of different molecular AD subtypes which can be recognized by CSF analysis, enabling patient stratification.