Amyloid Aβ levels in Alzheimer's disease - A diagnostic tool and the key to understanding the natural history of Aβ?

The biogenesis and degradation/clearance of Aβ amyloid lies at the centre of the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Quantification of the various metabolic pools of Aβ in the brains and in the periphery may aid in diagnosis, prognosis and the elucidation of the natural history of this disorder. Estimation of the Aβ levels using immunoassays (ELISA and the western blots) are complementary techniques which are now being applied in humans and experimental models. The various forms of Aβ in differing cellular compartments are now being assayed, and a picture of the natural history of Alzheimer's disease is beginning to emerge.