Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Blood tests to help diagnose cognitive dysfunction in aging dogs
By Jun-Won Yoon et al.·Published in Animals·2025·Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea, CH·View original on DOAJ →
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Original publication title: Evaluation of Blood-Based Diagnostic Biomarkers for Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 10-year-old Labrador was showing signs of confusion and disorientation, which led to a diagnosis of canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS), a condition similar to Alzheimer's in humans. Researchers tested blood samples for specific markers to see if they could help diagnose and stage the severity of CDS. They found that elevated levels of a protein called neurofilament light chain (NfL) were linked to the severity of the dog's cognitive issues. Combining these blood tests with behavioral assessments improved the accuracy of diagnosing CDS, suggesting that NfL could be a useful tool for veterinarians in managing this condition.
People also search for: dog cognitive dysfunction symptoms · Labrador confusion treatment · blood test for dog dementia
Abstract
Canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder in aging dogs and serves as a natural model for Alzheimer’s disease in humans. This study evaluated blood biomarkers—amyloid-beta (Aβ40, Aβ42), neurofilament light chain (NfL), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)—for diagnosing and staging CDS and assessed whether combining biomarkers with behavioral questionnaires improves diagnostic reliability. Seventy-seven dogs, including healthy controls and CDS cases, were assessed using the Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Rating Scale (CCDR), Canine Dementia Scale (CADES), and Canine Cognitive Assessment Scale (CCAS). Plasma Aβ40, Aβ42, GFAP, and serum NfL levels were measured via ELISA. While Aβ40, Aβ42, and GFAP were not significantly associated with CDS stage, serum NfL levels were elevated (<i>p</i> < 0.05) across all questionnaires. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses showed areas under the curve (AUCs) of 0.763 (CCDR), 0.722 (CADES), and 0.777 (CCAS), with cut-off values around 18.28–43.13 pg/mL. NfL shows promise as a blood biomarker correlated with CDS severity. Combining serum NfL measurements with questionnaire assessments may enhance diagnostic accuracy for CDS in veterinary practice.
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Search related cases →Original publication on DOAJ: https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15131974