Biomarker discovery in neurological diseases: a metabolomic approach

Review

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Authors:

Afaf El-Ansary, Nouf Al-Afaleg, Yousra Al-Yafaee

Published Date December 2009 Volume 2009:1(Default) Pages 27 - 41

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/OAJCT.S7746

Afaf El-Ansary, Nouf Al-Afaleg, Yousra Al-Yafaee

Biochemistry Department, Science College, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Abstract: Biomarkers are pharmacological and physiological measurements or specific biochemicals in the body that have a particular molecular feature that makes them useful for measuring the progress of disease or the effects of treatment. Due to the complexity of neurological disorders, it is very difficult to have perfect markers. Brain diseases require plenty of markers to reflect the metabolic impairment of different brain cells. The recent introduction of the metabolomic approach helps the study of neurological diseases based on profiling a multitude of biochemical components related to brain metabolism. This review is a trial to elucidate the possibility to use this approach to identify plasma metabolic markers related to neurological disorders. Previous trials using different metabolomic analyses including nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, gas chromatography combined with mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography combined with mass spectrometry, and capillary electrophoresis will be traced.

Keywords: metabolic biomarkers, neurological disorders. metabolome, nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, chromatography

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