Body Chemistry Clues Could Help Doctors Catch Brain Diseases Sooner

Tiny changes in body chemistry can help doctors find brain and nervous system diseases earlier, but experts say tests need better accuracy and lower costs across India. Doctors study chemical signatures, or biomarkers, which act like the body's fingerprints when proteins and molecules change during an illness. According to the World Health Organization, 57 million people worldwide lived with dementia in 2021, and Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60% to 70% of those cases, with nearly 10 million new cases each year.

Diagnostic Challenges

Instruments like spectrometers or chromatographs identify these unique patterns in samples like blood, cerebrospinal fluid, or skin. Sreenivas U.M., a consultant neurologist at Apollo Speciality Hospitals in Vanagaram, Chennai, explains that chemical balance changes when a disease develops. For Alzheimer's disease, doctors look at amyloid-beta and tau proteins, measuring forms like p-tau217 in blood and fluid. Sruthi Degapudi, a consultant neurologist at Prashanth Hospitals in Chennai, notes these tests help look beyond simple symptoms, though finding a protein change does not mean a person will definitely get dementia. Researchers also study alpha-synuclein for Parkinson's disease and antibodies for autoimmune encephalitis, a condition causing seizures and memory problems that is sometimes mistaken for a psychiatric illness.

Limitations and Access

Age, kidney function, medicines, and other illnesses can alter molecule levels, meaning tests cannot give a full picture on their own. Aqib M., a senior consultant neurosurgeon at Dr. Mehta's Hospitals in Chennai, says examining molecular traits helps classify brain tumours and guide treatment. Doctors also study markers like neurofilament light to spot nerve cell damage, but tests are not always ready for routine use. High costs and limited availability remain major hurdles in India, where patients often must travel to larger cities for specialised tests.

Context

Biomarkers are measurable biological indicators of bodily states or conditions that help modern medicine move from treating symptoms to targeting underlying molecular causes. As medical research advances, identifying these chemical clues early helps specialists plan more precise treatments for complex neurological disorders.