Science is 1% inspiration and 99% biomarkers

Abstract

Neurodegeneration plays a key role in multiple sclerosis (MS) contributing to long-term disability in patients. The prognosis is, however, unpredictable coloured by complex disease mechanisms which can only be clearly appreciated using biomarkers specific to pathobiology of the underlying process. Here, we describe six promising neurodegenerative biomarkers in MS (neurofilament proteins, neurofilament antibodies, tau, N-acetylaspartate, chitinase and chitinase-like proteins and osteopontin), critically evaluating the evidence using a modified Bradford Hill criteria.

Keywords: Neurodegenerative biomarkers; chitinase and chitinase-like proteins; multiple sclerosis; neurofilament antibodies; neurofilaments; tau.