Biomarker Disclosure in Alzheimer's Disease Management

The disclosure of Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers has become integral to early detection and personalised management strategies. Biomarkers such as amyloid-β and tau concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid, or tracer uptake on positron emission tomography, provide objective evidence of neurodegenerative processes before the onset of clinical dementia. Communicating these findings involves balancing patients’ right to know with the potential for distress, given the current absence of widely effective disease-modifying therapies and the probabilistic nature of risk estimates. Best-practice frameworks emphasise thorough pre-test education, assessment of psychological readiness, clear explanation of predictive limitations and ongoing post-disclosure support. Harmonised protocols facilitate participant autonomy in research trials and clinical settings, enable informed life and care planning, and underpin the design of preventive interventions. As global interest in biomarker-driven approaches grows, establishing evidence-based disclosure pathways is essential to safeguard well-being, enhance shared decision-making and translate early detection into tangible benefits for individuals at risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Research from Nature Portfolio

No recent Nature Portfolio content available.

Biomarker Disclosure in Alzheimer's Disease Management publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in biomarker disclosure in alzheimer's disease management across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Biomarker: A measurable biological indicator that reflects the presence or progression of disease.

Amyloid PET: A brain imaging technique using radioactive tracers to visualise amyloid-β plaque deposition.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI): A clinical syndrome characterised by noticeable cognitive decline without significant interference in daily functioning.

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD): Self-perceived worsening of memory or thinking skills in the absence of objective deficits on standard tests.

Apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4: A genetic variant associated with a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

References

1. Impact of sharing Alzheimer's disease biomarkers with individuals without dementia: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of empirical data. Alzheimer's & Dementia (2023).
2. Analysis of Psychological Symptoms Following Disclosure of Amyloid–Positron Emission Tomography Imaging Results to Adults With Subjective Cognitive Decline. JAMA Network Open (2023).
3. Communication about diagnosis, prognosis, and prevention in the memory clinic: perspectives of European memory clinic professionals. Alzheimer's Research & Therapy (2023).