Biomarkers for neurological diseases used to be few and far between, but improved technology is making it easier for researchers to track brain health by measuring molecules. This means less invasive testing, earlier diagnosis, faster drug development.

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Few of the Companies Profiling in Brain Biomarkers Study

1. ADVANCED BRAIN MONITORING
2. ELECTRICAL GEODESICS
3. F. HOFFMANN-LA ROCHE LTD
4. JOHNSON AND JOHNSON
5. SEIMENS HEALTHNINEERS
6. BRAINSCOPE
7. GE HEALTHCARE
8. LIFESIGN LLC.
9. NATUS MEDICAL
10. NEUROVISTA

Biomarker molecules indicating the presence of a disease or dysfunction are becoming increasingly helpful for confirming diagnosis, choosing the best treatment, and monitoring disease progression. One exception is biomarkers for neurological conditions. Neurological biomarkers are present in cerebral spinal fluid (CSF), but rarely or at unexpected levels in the blood. The brain is closely guarded by its personal "security guard", the blood brain barrier, which protects it from harmful elements in the bloodstream. Unfortunately for clinical purposes, this barrier has also made brain chemistry inaccessible for a convenient blood test. Neurological biomarkers can be studied using CSF, but this requires an invasive and painful lumbar puncture procedure.

Rapid developments in healthcare and drug discovery sector are leading to the introduction of new therapeutic solutions for the treatment of neurological diseases. Authorities such as World Health Organization, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and National Institutes of Health are taking constructive steps to encourage the research activities and find a remedy for neurological disease treatment.

A biomarker is an indicator of normal biological processes, pathogenic processes, or evaluating a therapeutic intervention. Thus, the discovery of biomarker is an active research area, where a few biomarkers have been sufficiently studied and validated for its use in clinical practice and clinical trials.

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) biomarker program is focused on enhancing the quality and efficiency of neurotherapeutic clinical research and supports the biomarker validation. The program promotes rigorous biomarker identification and validation by providing funds for the research activities. Similarly, Parkinson’s Disease Biomarkers Program (PDBP) was initiated to support new and existing research promoting the discovery of biomarker for Parkinson's disease.

However, these elusive neurological biomarkers are now visible. Recent advances in detection, as well as the broad power of biomarkers, or groups of biomarker signatures, are making the brain more accessible and neurological diseases more treatable. Diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, autism, and major depressive disorder are likely to be eased by the recent arrival of neurological biomarkers found in the blood.