Informace o projektu
Multimodalitní neinvazivní biomarkery pro časnou diagnostiku neurodegenerativních onemocnění s dominujícím narušením limbických struktur

The proposal highlights the motivation behind developing non-invasive biomarkers for early diagnosis of limbic-predominant neurodegenerative diseases, particularly in the context of an aging European population where neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy (LATE), are increasing. Current diagnostic methods are invasive and lack early-stage sensitivity. The project focuses on identifying, validating, and clinically evaluating non-invasive biomarkers. It employs advanced imaging techniques and biofluid analysis, integrating multiple biomarkers for enhanced diagnostic accuracy. The anticipated outcomes include novel biomarkers and a robust diagnostic tool for improved early diagnosis and patient care.
To address existing knowledge gaps, the project will evaluate non-invasive biomarkers in a memory clinic cohort from the Czech Brain Aging Study (CBAS) for early diagnosis of LATE and differentiation from AD. The first aim (WP 1) is divided into five objectives:
1. Assess cognitive tests to distinguish LATE from AD and describe cognitive and neuropsychiatric profiles (WP 1.1).
2. Identify MRI patterns of regional brain atrophy distinguishing LATE from AD (WP 1.2).
3. Identify PET imaging patterns of brain perfusion distinguishing LATE from AD (WP 1.3).
4. Identify specific blood-based biomarkers and combinations that distinguish LATE from AD (WP 1.4).
5. Describe genetic profiles of participants with LATE and AD (WP 1.5).
In the second part of the proposed project, we plan to use artificial intelligence, in particular machine learning, and the most reliable non-invasive biomarkers obtained in the first part of the project (i.e., from WP 1.1 - 1.5), with the ultimate goal of identifying participants with early AD and low probability of comorbid LATE (i.e., "pure AD") and those with high probability of comorbid LATE (i.e., "mixed AD-LATE") (WP 2).
We hypothesise that a combination of specific cognitive markers (WP 2.1), patterns of regional brain atrophy (WP 2.2) and regional brain perfusion (WP 2.3), BBBM (WP 2.4) and genetic polymorphisms (WP 2.5) should reliably classify AD participants into those with "pure AD" and "mixed AD-LATE" groups.