Early Biomarker Identification and Treatment Strategy for Alzheimer's Disease

A special issue of Neurology International (ISSN 2035-8377). This special issue belongs to the section "Movement Disorders and Neurodegenerative Diseases".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 1011

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
Interests: cell death; cell differentiation; bone remodeling; Alzheimer; aging; glycative stress; oxidative stress; redox biology; bioinformatics
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Guest Editor
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
Interests: cell death; cell differentiation; bone remodeling; Alzheimer; aging; glycative stress; oxidative stress; redox biology

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
Interests: neurology; neuroscience; neurodegeneative disease; drug development; Parkinson's disease; Alzheimer's disease; drug discovery; neurobiology; degenerative brain disorders; dementia

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remains a formidable neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by the absence of a definitive cure and limited therapeutic efficacy in its advanced stages, and in the clinical management of which early diagnosis poses a critical challenge. Recent research has made substantial strides in identifying novel biomarkers, encompassing a diverse range of substances such as neuroimaging signals, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) proteins, extracellular vesicle-derived RNA, blood-based markers, and advanced proteomics and metabolomics signatures. These biomarkers hold the potential to facilitate detection at the prodromal or even preclinical stages of the disease. 

This Special Issue invites original research articles, systematic reviews, bioinformatics, and cutting-edge perspectives on the development and validation of early biomarkers for AD. Furthermore, we welcome submissions exploring innovative therapeutic approaches that aim to intervene during the early stages of disease progression. The topics covered may include molecular mechanisms underlying biomarker alterations, omics-based discoveries, machine learning for predictive modeling, and preclinical or clinical trial data pertaining to early-stage interventions. By compiling contributions from these diverse perspectives, this Special Issue endeavors to advance the future of personalized diagnostics and targeted therapies in AD.

Dr. A. N. M. Mamun-Or-Rashid
Dr. Tanzima Tarannum Lucy
Prof. Dr. Amos D. Korczyn
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • early diagnosis
  • biomarkers
  • extracellular vesicles
  • neuroinflammation
  • non-coding RNAs
  • proteomics
  • novel therapeutics
  • neurodegeneration
  • personalized medicine
  • dementia
  • mild cognitive impairment

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

15 pages, 493 KB  
Article
A Pilot Study: The Effect of CPAP Intervention on Sleep Architecture and Cognition in Alzheimer’s Disease Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea
by Carmen L. Frias, Marta Almeria, Judith Castejon, Cristina Artero, Giovanni Caruana, Andrea Elias-Mas, Karol Uscamaita, Virginia Hawkins, Nicola J. Ray, Mariateresa Buongiorno, Natalia Cullell and Jerzy Krupinski
Neurol. Int. 2025, 17(9), 147; https://doi.org/10.3390/neurolint17090147 - 11 Sep 2025
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Abstract
Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is highly prevalent in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and its hallmark, sleep fragmentation, may accelerate cognitive decline. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) improves OSA-related hypoxia during slow-wave sleep, but its cognitive benefits in AD remain [...] Read more.
Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is highly prevalent in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and its hallmark, sleep fragmentation, may accelerate cognitive decline. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) improves OSA-related hypoxia during slow-wave sleep, but its cognitive benefits in AD remain unclear. Methods: We performed a 12-month sub-analysis of a prospective, longitudinal pilot study that enrolled 21 adults (median age = 77 yr; 71% women) with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) with AD confirmed biomarkers and polysomnography-diagnosed OSA. All participants underwent baseline overnight polysomnography (PSG) and neuropsychological testing (Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS)) that were repeated after 12 months. Twelve participants were CPAP-compliant (moderate/severe OSA) and nine were non-users (mild OSA/intolerance). Cognitive change scores (Δ = 12 months -baseline) were compared with Generalized Linear Models (GLM) adjusted for baseline cognition and Apnea–Hypopnea Index (AHI); associations between baseline sleep parameters and cognitive trajectories were examined. And the association of sleep variables with the use of CPAP was also evaluated. Results: Compared with non-users, CPAP users showed significantly slower global decline (Δ MMSE: p = 0.016) and improvements in overall cognition (Δ RBANS Total: p = 0.028) and RBANS sub-domains (Δ RBANS FC: p = 0.010; Δ RBANS SF: p = 0.045). Longer baseline non-rapid eye movement (NREM) stage 3 and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, greater total sleep time and sleep efficiency, and right-side sleeping were each linked to better cognitive outcomes, whereas extended NREM stage 2, wakefulness, and supine sleeping were associated with poorer trajectories. Conclusions: Twelve months of CPAP use was associated with attenuated cognitive decline and domain-specific gains in AD-related MCI with OSA. Sleep architecture and body position during sleep predicted cognitive outcomes, underscoring the therapeutic relevance of optimizing breathing and sleep quality. Larger, longer-term trials are warranted to confirm CPAP’s disease-modifying potential and to clarify the mechanistic role of sleep in AD progression. Full article
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