Cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases—From pathophysiology to clinical practice

Abstract This review provides an update on the role, development, and validation of CSF biomarkers in the diagnosis and prognosis of Alzheimer's disease and PD. Some recent developments on novel biomarkers are also discussed. We also give an overview of methodological/technical factors still hampering the global validation and standardization of CSF Alzheimer's disease and PD biomarkers. CSF biomarkers have the potential to improve the diagnostic accuracy at the early stages not only for Alzheimer's disease but also for PD. This step is essential in view of the availability of disease‐modifying treatments. Our vision for the future is that analyzing biomarker panels on a minute amount of CSF could provide important information on the whole spectrum of the molecular pathogenic events characterizing these neurodegenerative disorders. CSF core biomarkers have already been included in the diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer's disease, and they are also under consideration as tools to monitor the effects of disease‐modifying drugs. With respect to PD, their potential for improving diagnostic accuracy in early diagnosis is under intense research, resembling the same path followed for Alzheimer's disease. © 2016 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society