Blood Test to Tell Psychiatric From Brain-Degeneration Memory Problems
Tests a blood marker, neurofilament light chain, in people with psychiatric or neurodegenerative memory problems.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Neurofilament Light Chains and Cognitive Impairment in Chronic Psychiatric Disease
Key facts
- Where
- Bron, FranceSee the 2 sites
Could this be for you?
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 45 and 80 years old?
Source: NCT04946916, who can take part
Where in France
- Centre Hospitalier Le VinatierBron, FranceTaking people
- HCL Consultation mémoire Neurologique -Hôpital NeurologiqueBron, FranceTaking people
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- Hôpital le Vinatier
- Trial code
- NCT04946916
- Record updated
- 24 July 2025
- Original description
The validation of biomarkers allowing the discrimination of cognitive and behavioral disorders of psychiatric origin from those of neurodegenerative origin would facilitate diagnosis and improve patient management. Neurofilaments, which are markers of neuronal lysis, appear to be a promising biomarker. In a previous preliminary study, the investigators demonstrated significantly lower concentrations of neurofilaments in CSF of psychiatric patients compared to neurodegenerative diseases.Read full original descriptionShow less
Validation of Serum Neurofilament Light Chain as a Biomarker to Differentiate Cognitive Impairment From Neurodegenerative or Psychiatric Diseases
The validation of biomarkers allowing the discrimination of cognitive and behavioral disorders of psychiatric origin from those of neurodegenerative origin would facilitate diagnosis and improve patient management. Neurofilaments, which are markers of neuronal lysis, appear to be a promising biomarker. In a previous preliminary study, the investigators demonstrated significantly lower concentrations of neurofilaments in CSF of psychiatric patients compared to neurodegenerative diseases.
The main objective of this study is to validate the plasma assay of neurofilament light chain as a biomarker for the differential diagnosis of psychiatric or neurodegenerative cognitive impairment. Other biomarkers of interest (Tau, TDP-43, GFAP and UCH-L1) will also be analyzed.
A sub-part of this study will also focus on the retrospective analysis of the CSF/Plasma correlations of the different biomarkers mentioned above from tube bottom samples taken in routine care.
Inclusion: haven given written consent; Participants with psychiatric conditions:; Schizophrenia (DSM-V criteria) with or without cognitive involution; Bipolar disorder (DSM-V criteria) with or without cognitive involution; Participants with neurodegenerative disease:; probable or definite FTD (Rascovsky criteria 2011); Biological Alzheimer's disease with typical CSF (NIA-AA 2011).
Exclusion: History of recent or previous head trauma with loss of consciousness; Chronic alcoholism / chronic drug use; Electroconvulsive therapy for less than 6 months; History of ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke; Progressive somatic pathology / severe metabolic disorder / poorly controlled epilepsy; Age < 45 years; Age > 80 years; Uninterviewable patient and/or missing history.