The Role of Neurofilament Light (NfL) and Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) in MS and AQP4-NMOSD: Advancing Clinical Applications.

Authors

Sara Samadzadeh, Department of Biological Sciences, Munster Technological University, Bishopstown, Cork, Ireland; Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Neuroscience Clinical Research Center, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Institute of Regional Health Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; The Center for Neurological Research, Department of Neurology Slagelse Hospitals, Slagelse, Denmark
Roy D. Sleator, Department of Biological Sciences, Munster Technological University, Bishopstown, Cork, IrelandFollow

ORCID

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5846-3938

Document Type

Article

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Disciplines

Biology | Life Sciences | Neuroscience and Neurobiology

Publication Details

eNeurologicalSci, vol. 38. © 2025 The Authors.

Abstract

Fluid biomarkers such as Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) and Neurofilament Light (NfL) play important roles in the diagnosis, monitoring, and evaluation of therapeutic responses in conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Aquaporin-4 Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (AQP4-NMOSD). These biomarkers offer key insights into the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of these diseases, enabling effective follow-up and personalized treatment approaches, which are essential for improving patient outcomes. Herein, we synthesize the structural attributes, functional roles, and clinical significance of GFAP and NfL in the context of MS and AQP4-NMOSD. We explore the critical implications of these biomarkers in disease manifestation and progression, emphasizing the necessity to develop standardized methodologies and multicentric studies to confirm their clinical applicability.

Recommended Citation

Sara Samadzadeh, Roy D. Sleator, The role of Neurofilament light (NfL) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in MS and AQP4-NMOSD: Advancing clinical applications., eNeurologicalSci, Volume 38, 2025, 100550, ISSN 2405-6502, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ensci.2025.100550.