Blood and spinal fluid proteins reveal distinct fingerprints of four brain diseases

MedicalXpress | avr. 24, 2026

Researchers at WashU Medicine have uncovered new molecular insights into Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and other forms of dementia by analyzing thousands of proteins in both cerebrospinal fluid and blood plasma. The study, led by Carlos Cruchaga, the Barbara Burton & Reuben Morriss III Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and director of the NeuroGenomics and Informatics Center at WashU Medicine, represents one of the largest and most comprehensive multi-tissue analyses of proteins across multiple neurodegenerative diseases to date. The findings raise the possibility of developing blood tests for earlier and more precise diagnosis of these conditions.