Serum Neurofilament Light-chain Concentrations in Essential Tremor: A Case-Control Study
Meagen Salinas1, Victor Salinas2, Nora Hernandez2, Elan Louis2
1North Texas VA Health Care System, 2University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Objective:
We sought to investigate the concentrations of neurofilament light chain (NfL) in essential tremor (ET) patients and healthy controls.
Background:
Inquiries into the etiology, pathophysiology, and nosology of essential tremor (ET) stand to benefit from the identification of disease biomarkers. Serum neurofilament light chain (NfL) has emerged as a novel signature of conditions in which neuronal injury reflects an outcome of the ongoing disease process.
Design/Methods:
In this cross-sectional, case-control, observational study, 41 ET patients and 41 healthy controls underwent clinical assessments and measurement of serum NfL concentration using Simoa technology.
Results:
Serum NfL was elevated in ET patients (median = 16.6 pg/mL) versus controls (median = 11.3pg/mL) (p <0.001). NfL concentrations remained higher in ET patients than controls after stratification by sex (p = 0.006 and 0.02, for female and male participants, respectively). This difference persisted after accounting for age, sex and Montreal Cognitive Assessment score in a multiple linear regression model (p = 0.00947, Benjamini-Hochberg correction).
Conclusions:
In this sample of ET patients and controls, serum NfL concentrations were significantly higher in ET. Studies in additional cohorts of ET cases would be of value in attempting to replicate these results and assessing diagnostic utility.