ArticleJournal of neurology2025
Neurofilament light chain reference values in serum and cerebrospinal fluid: a bi-compartmental analysis in neurological diseases.
Article in Journal of neurology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed.
- Neurofilament light chain (NfL) as a surrogate outcome measure for GM2 gangliosidoses.Journal of neurology · 2026Trial
- Serum GFAP and Age Accurately Distinguish AQP4-IgG Positive and Double Seronegative NMOSD From MOGAD After a Recent Attack.European journal of neurology · 2026Article
- Kappa Free Light Chain for Diagnosis and Neurofilament Light Chain for Prognosis in Autoimmune Encephalitis.Neurology(R) neuroimmunology & neuroinflammation · 2026Observational
- Genetic ALS-Progressive Sleep Defects Precede the Onset of Clinical Disease.European journal of neurology · 2026Observational
- Cognition and fatigue in clinically stable multiple sclerosis: EDSS and MRI metrics outperform serum biomarkers.BMC neurology · 2026Article
- The p.(Leu97Ile) variant expands the genetic landscape of NEFL-associated Charcot-Marie-tooth neuropathies.Human molecular genetics · 2026Article
- Combining blood biomarkers and the German version of the Dementia Screening Questionnaire for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (DSQIID-G) for diagnosing cognitive decline in Down syndrome.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2026Article
- Clinical course and prognosis of chronic autoimmune neuropathies requiring intensive care: a retrospective cohort study.Journal of neurology · 2026Observational
- Combination of Serum Neurofilament Light Chain and Serum Cardiac Troponin T as Biomarkers Improves Diagnostic Accuracy in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.Annals of neurology · 2026Article
- Peripheral biomarkers of neuronal damage in neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE).Frontiers in cellular neuroscience · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
20 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundConcentrations of neurofilament light chain (NfL), a neuroaxonal damage marker, increase with age. Therefore, age-dependent reference values are important in clinical practice. However, so far these have only been established with a bead-based system and age-dependent z-scores for CSF are missing. In addition, we here propose how the combined analysis of CSF and serum NfL could help in the discrimination between central (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS) axonal degeneration.
methodsFor the calculation of age reference values, serum and CSF NfL concentrations from 1,514 control subjects, measured using the microfluidic Ella system, were applied.
resultsAge-dependent NfL levels were calculated with additive quantile regression and presented with percentiles and z-scores. We observed a non-linear increase of NfL in serum and CSF. The spearman r of the association with age was 0.81 (95% CI 0.78-0.83), p < 0.0001 and 0.82 (95% CI 0.79-0.85), p < 0.0001 for serum and CSF NfL, respectively. Serum and CSF NfL levels were also associated with each other (r = 0.68 (95%CI 0.62-0.73), p < 0.0001). Furthermore, we used this association to establish a bi-compartmental CSF and serum NfL model allowing to differentiate between peripheral or central origin of neurodegeneration.
conclusionsThe age reference curves corroborate findings of an exponential elevation of NfL in serum and CSF with increasing age. As NfL values from different platforms are not interchangeable, this is of additional high relevance. Moreover, the association between CSF and serum NfL values could be applied for clinical use regarding overlapping symptoms of CNS and PNS-based neurological diseases.
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