Aspects of β-amyloid as a biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder that results in progressive cognitive impairment and death. The accumulation of β-amyloid (Aβ) in specific brain regions is believed by many to represent the earliest event in the pathogenesis of the disease. Here, we review the key aspects of Aβ as a biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease, including the pathogenicity of Aβ, the possible biological functions of its precursor protein, the Aβ metabolism and homeostasis, the diagnostic performance of different Aβ assays in different settings and the potential usefulness of Aβ as a surrogate marker for treatment efficacy in clinical trials of novel Aβ-targeting drugs against Alzheimer’s disease.