Blood NfL Levels May Be Useful Marker of Polyneuropathy and Its Severity

Blood levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL) — a protein commonly used as a marker of nerve cell death in neurodegenerative disorders — associate with the severity of peripheral nerve damage (polyneuropathy) in people with familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP), a study reports. In fact, NfL seems to be…

Amyloid Deposits in Skin Samples Could Be Alternative to Biopsy in Diagnosing FAP, Study Suggests

A skin sample might aid physicians in diagnosing patients with familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP) caused by mutations in the TTR gene, according to a study that showed that amyloid deposits, which cause nerve disease in these patients, are also present in the skin. In addition to sparing patients more invasive…