Neurofilament light chain Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a fluid that is found exclusively in the brain and spinal cord that circulates between sections of the brain offering an extra layer of protection. Studies have shown that biomarkers in the CSF and plasma can be tracked for their presence in different parts of the brain—and their presence can tell us about<unk> . One study took advantage of biomarkers, namely one called neurofilament light chain (NFL), in patients with Alzheimer’s Disease. Neurofilament light chain is a protein that is important in the growth and branching of neurons—cells found in the brain. In Alzheimer’s Disease, neurons will stop working or die in a process called neurodegeneration. By tracking NFL, researchers can see this neurodegeneration, which this study showed was associated with brain<unk>  and later cognitive decline in Alzheimer's patients. Other biomarkers like Ng – a protein important in long-term potentiation and memory – have been tracked for their associations with brain<unk>  as well, but NFL had the greatest association. Measures Brain CT with different grading systems of<unk>  (seen as decreased size of gyri and secondary increased size of sulci): - Medial temporal lobe<unk>  (MTA) - Posterior<unk>  (PA) - Frontal cortical<unk>  (fGCA) CT and MRI are most commonly used to observe the brain for<unk> . A CT scan takes cross sectional images of the brain using X-rays, while an MRI uses a magnetic field. With both measures, multiple images can be compared to see if there is a loss in brain volume over time. Difference from hydrocephalus<unk>  can be hard to distinguish from hydrocephalus because both<unk>  and hydrocephalus involve an increase in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volume. In<unk> , this increase in CSF volume comes as a result of the decrease in cortical volume. In hydrocephalus, the increase in volume happens due to the CSF itself. +Typical imaging findings in normal pressure hydrocephalus versus brain<unk> . File:Normal pressure hydrocephalus versus<unk> .jpg Normal pressure hydrocephalus Brain<unk>  Preferable projection Coronal plane at the level of the posterior commissure of the brain. Modality in this example CT MRI CSF spaces over the convexity near the vertex (red ellipse 20px) Narrowed convexity ("tight convexity") as well as medial cisterns Widened vertex (red arrow) and medial cisterns (green arrow) Callosal angle (blue V) Acute angle Obtuse angle Most likely cause of leucoaraiosis (periventricular signal alterations, blue arrows 25px) Transependymal cerebrospinal fluid diapedesis Vascular encephalopathy, in this case suggested by unilateral occurrence
Cerebral atrophy
Acrania
Posterior cortical atrophy
Ventriculomegaly
Cerebellar degeneration
Hippocampal sclerosis
Geographic atrophy
Macular hypoplasia