Biomarkers and Stroke

Medical studies have shown a connection between dementia (the most common cause of which is Alzheimer disease) and stroke. Recurrent stroke is the cause of one type of dementia called multi-infarct dementia. Recognizing this connection, the authors of this study posed a simple question: Is the presence of biomarkers (see below) for dementia helpful in predicting stroke? In their article "Plasma β-Amyloid, Total-Tau, and Neurofilament Light Chain Levels and the Risk of Stroke: A Prospective Population-Based Study," Dr. Heshmatollah and colleagues1 looked at several dementia biomarkers in a group of people from Rotterdam, the Netherlands. They followed these people for many years to see if the members of the group who were found to have dementia biomarkers were more likely to experience a stroke later on.