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The Role of Blood-Based Biomarkers in Transforming Alzheimer’s Disease Research and Clinical Management: A Review
Vera Pacoova Dal Maschio, Fausto Roveta, Lucrezia Bonino, Silvia Boschi, Innocenzo Rainero, Elisa Rubino. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2025-09-03
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative condition representing the most common cause of dementia and currently affects millions of people worldwide. The clinical presentation includes memory impairment, cognitive decline, and neuropsychiatric symptoms, reflecting pathological hallmarks such as β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, synaptic dysfunction, and neuroinflammation. Despite being the gold standard for detecting amyloid and tau pathologies in vivo, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging are not widely used in the clinical setting because of invasiveness, high costs, and restricted accessibility. Recent advances in blood-based biomarkers offer a promising and minimally invasive tool for early detection, diagnosis, and monitoring of AD. Ultra-sensitive analytical platforms, including single-molecule arrays (Simoa) and immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry, now enable reliable quantification of plasma Aβ isoforms, phosphorylated tau variants (p-Tau181, p-Tau217, p-Tau231), neurofilament light chain (NfL) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). In addition, blood biomarkers reflecting oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, synaptic disruption and metabolic dysfunction are under active investigation. This narrative review synthesizes current evidence on blood-based biomarkers in AD, emphasizing their biological relevance, diagnostic accuracy, and clinical applications. Finally, we highlight forthcoming challenges, such as standardization, and future directions, including the use of artificial intelligence in precision medicine.
Key findings
- Recent advances in blood-based biomarkers offer a promising and minimally invasive tool for early detection, diagnosis, and monitoring of AD.
- Ultra-sensitive analytical platforms, including single-molecule arrays (Simoa) and immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry, now enable reliable quantification of plasma Aβ isoforms, phosphorylated tau variants (p-Tau181, p-Tau217, p-Tau231), neurofilament light chain (NfL) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP).
- In addition, blood biomarkers reflecting oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, synaptic disruption and metabolic dysfunction are under active investigation.
- This narrative review synthesizes current evidence on blood-based biomarkers in AD, emphasizing their biological relevance, diagnostic accuracy, and clinical applications.
- Finally, we highlight forthcoming challenges, such as standardization, and future directions, including the use of artificial intelligence in precision medicine.
Why it matters
This review describes blood-based biomarkers that may allow earlier, less invasive detection, diagnosis and monitoring of Alzheimer's disease than CSF or PET methods. It is a summary of existing evidence, not a new treatment, cure or prevention study.
Study details
- Study designnarrative review
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 44/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (International Journal of Molecular Sciences) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | International Journal of Molecular Sciences: journal h-index 426 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | Design recorded as “narrative review”, which our rubric does not rank (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 3 / 7 | Cited 20 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 6.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 12.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 20 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Elisa Rubino: h-index 38 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Turin: institution h-index 903 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40943483) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 44 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.3390/ijms26178564
- PubMed: 40943483
- Original source →
- Free full text: International Journal of Molecular Sciences →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Maschio, V. P. D., Roveta, F., Bonino, L., Boschi, S., Rainero, I., & Rubino, E. (2025). The Role of Blood-Based Biomarkers in Transforming Alzheimer’s Disease Research and Clinical Management: A Review. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26178564
Vancouver
Maschio VPD, Roveta F, Bonino L, Boschi S, Rainero I, Rubino E. The Role of Blood-Based Biomarkers in Transforming Alzheimer’s Disease Research and Clinical Management: A Review. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2025. doi:10.3390/ijms26178564. PMID: 40943483.
BibTeX
@article{maschio2025-40943483,
author = {Maschio, Vera Pacoova Dal and Roveta, Fausto and Bonino, Lucrezia and Boschi, Silvia and Rainero, Innocenzo and Rubino, Elisa},
title = {{The Role of Blood-Based Biomarkers in Transforming Alzheimer’s Disease Research and Clinical Management: A Review}},
journal = {International Journal of Molecular Sciences},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.3390/ijms26178564},
pmid = {40943483},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26178564}
}
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