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. 2018 Jan;14(1):81-103.
doi: 10.1016/j.jalz.2017.10.002. Epub 2017 Nov 8.

Blood DNA methylation as a potential biomarker of dementia: A systematic review

Peter D Fransquet  1 , Paul Lacaze  2 , Richard Saffery  3 , John McNeil  2 , Robyn Woods  2 , Joanne Ryan  4
Affiliations

Blood DNA methylation as a potential biomarker of dementia: A systematic review

Peter D Fransquet et al. Alzheimers Dement. 2018 Jan.

Abstract

Dementia is a major public health issue with rising prevalence rates, but many individuals remain undiagnosed. Accurate and timely diagnosis is key for the optimal targeting of interventions. A noninvasive, easily measurable peripheral biomarker would have greatest utility in population-wide diagnostic screening. Epigenetics, including DNA methylation, is implicated in dementia; however, it is unclear whether epigenetic changes can be detected in peripheral tissue. This study aimed to systematically review the evidence for an association between dementia and peripheral DNA methylation. Forty-eight studies that measured DNA methylation in peripheral blood were identified, and 67% reported significant associations with dementia. However, most studies were underpowered and limited by their case-control design. We emphasize the need for future longitudinal studies on large well-characterized populations, measuring epigenetic patterns in asymptomatic individuals. A biomarker detectable in the preclinical stages of the disease would have the greatest utility in future intervention and treatment trials.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Biomarker; Blood; DNA methylation; Dementia; Epigenetics; Peripheral.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no conflict of interest exists.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Flow diagram of manuscript selection.
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