Biomarkers of Neurodegenerative Disorders: Current Progress and Future Directions

This book presents state-of-the-art knowledge regarding fluid and imaging biomarkers of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD). A cadre of the top experts in the field discuss the diagnostic and prognostic value of established and emerging biomarkers in ADRD, their ability to track or monitor disease progression or predict cognitive outcomes, and their potential as novel therapeutic targets. Biomarkers are discussed both in the context of specific disease mechanisms, including amyloid, tau, and synuclein pathologies, endothelial, vascular, neuronal, and synaptic injury, and glial reactivity as well as a wide spectrum of neurodegenerative disorders that encompass various pathologies. Multi-omics approaches in ADRD biomarker and drug target discovery including proteomics, genomics, and transcriptomics are covered. Importantly, the authors highlight the need to integrate biomarkers into various stages of ADRD drug development to accelerate drug discovery and approval. The book provides in-depth insight regarding significant progress in ADRD biomarker research over the last decade, addresses potential challenges in the translation of ADRD biomarkers into the clinic, and proposes important directions for future research.

Rawan Tarawneh, MD is Associate Professor of Neurology and Director of the Cognitive Neurology Division at the University of New Mexico. She is a board-certified neurologist with UCNS- certification in Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry. Dr Tarawneh completed her neurology residency and a combined clinical and post-doctoral research fellowship at the Knight-Washington University in St Louis Alzheimer Disease Research Center. Her NIH-funded research utilizes state-of-the-art proteomic and genomic methods to identify novel biomarkers and drug targets for Alzheimer disease and related dementias. Dr Tarawneh’s pioneering work has been fundamental in identifying visinin-like protein-1, neurogranin, and vascular endothelial-cadherin as novel markers of neuronal, synaptic, and endothelial injury, respectively, in AD. As a national leader in ADRD biomarker research, Dr Tarawneh has led several clinical trials in aging and dementia. Her highly cited research in ADRD biomarkers has been published in prestigious journals and featured in national and international conferences.