Identification of a small set of plasma signalling proteins using neural network for prediction of Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a dementia that gets worse with time resulting in loss of memory and cognitive functions. The life expectancy of AD patients following diagnosis is ∼7 years. In 2006, researchers estimated that 0.40% of the world population (range 0.17-0.89%) was afflicted by AD, and that the prevalence rate would be tripled by 2050. Usually, examination of brain tissues is required for definite diagnosis of AD. So, it is crucial to diagnose AD at an early stage via some alternative methods. As the brain controls many functions via releasing signalling proteins through blood, we analyse blood plasma proteins for diagnosis of AD.