Neurodegenerative fluid biomarkers are enriched in human cervical lymph nodes

The study by Adam Al-Diwani et al. investigates neurodegenerative biomarkers in human cervical lymph nodes (CLNs), highlighting their potential for evaluating brain protein clearance. Researchers used ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration to collect samples from CLNs and plasma, measuring biomarkers such as amyloid-beta and phosphorylated tau. All biomarkers were detected, except for neurofilament light in some cases. Notably, CLN concentrations, particularly of phosphorylated tau 181 (pTau181), were significantly higher than those found in plasma. Furthermore, pTau181 levels decreased with age, suggesting reduced drainage efficiency. These findings indicate that measuring neurodegenerative biomarkers in CLNs could be valuable for studying neurodegenerative diseases and may inform future clinical trials.