Cerebrospinal fluid examination is a key procedure in diagnosis of autoimmune, infectious and malignant diseases of the nervous system. In the last years, the relevance of cerebrospinal fluid analysis in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders further increased. Since the discovery of autoimmune encephalitis driven by autoantibodies directed to the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor further autoantibodies against neuronal structures such as the contactin-associated protein-like 2 (CASPR2) were identified and the important role of cerebrospinal fluid in the diagnosis and monitoring of autoimmune encephalitis arose. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis is currently experiencing a renaissance in diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. In the new 2017 McDonald criteria to diagnose relapsing multiple sclerosis oligoclonal bands can now be used to demonstrate dissemination in time. This makes it possible to diagnose multiple sclerosis more frequently at the time of first clinical relapse, underlining the importance of cerebrospinal fluid analysis.
Although the knowledge about cerebrospinal fluid diagnostic continuously increases, there is enormous potential to further strengthen our understanding and the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of numerous neurological and psychiatric diseases and to identify new biomarkers.
This Research Topic will provide an overview of the importance of cerebrospinal fluid research with a focus on biomarkers and the mechanisms involved in neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. We hope to stimulate an interesting conversation and interest in cerebrospinal fluid. We welcome the submission of articles (including original research articles, reviews and inspiring case reports) that involve all aspects of cerebrospinal fluid research.
Cerebrospinal fluid examination is a key procedure in diagnosis of autoimmune, infectious and malignant diseases of the nervous system. In the last years, the relevance of cerebrospinal fluid analysis in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders further increased. Since the discovery of autoimmune encephalitis driven by autoantibodies directed to the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor further autoantibodies against neuronal structures such as the contactin-associated protein-like 2 (CASPR2) were identified and the important role of cerebrospinal fluid in the diagnosis and monitoring of autoimmune encephalitis arose. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis is currently experiencing a renaissance in diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. In the new 2017 McDonald criteria to diagnose relapsing multiple sclerosis oligoclonal bands can now be used to demonstrate dissemination in time. This makes it possible to diagnose multiple sclerosis more frequently at the time of first clinical relapse, underlining the importance of cerebrospinal fluid analysis.
Although the knowledge about cerebrospinal fluid diagnostic continuously increases, there is enormous potential to further strengthen our understanding and the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of numerous neurological and psychiatric diseases and to identify new biomarkers.
This Research Topic will provide an overview of the importance of cerebrospinal fluid research with a focus on biomarkers and the mechanisms involved in neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. We hope to stimulate an interesting conversation and interest in cerebrospinal fluid. We welcome the submission of articles (including original research articles, reviews and inspiring case reports) that involve all aspects of cerebrospinal fluid research.