This clinical practice involves the systematic measurement and longitudinal monitoring of specific biological indicators, or biomarkers, in blood, cerebrospinal fluid, or imaging to assess and track an individual’s cognitive health status. It provides an objective, quantitative means of evaluating neurological function and identifying subclinical decline or therapeutic response. This approach moves beyond subjective psychological testing to integrate endocrine and metabolic data for a comprehensive cognitive profile.
Origin
The foundation of biomarker tracking stems from the fields of clinical chemistry and molecular biology, which developed assays for quantifying specific proteins and metabolites. Its application to cognition accelerated with the understanding of neurodegenerative diseases, where early detection of pathologies like amyloid-beta and tau proteins became crucial. In hormonal health, this tracking has expanded to include neurosteroids and inflammatory markers that directly influence brain function.
Mechanism
The process involves collecting biological samples and analyzing levels of relevant markers, which can include hormones like thyroid hormone and estrogen, metabolic indicators such as insulin and glucose, and inflammatory cytokines. These data points are correlated with cognitive performance metrics to establish a baseline and monitor changes over time. By identifying deviations from optimal ranges, clinicians can implement targeted hormonal or metabolic interventions to support neuroplasticity and cognitive reserve.
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