Near infrared Raman spectroscopy for Alzheimer's disease detection

摘要

In recent years, the use of Raman spectroscopy for the detection and diagnosis of disease has steadily grown within the research field. However, this research has primarily been restricted to oncology. This research expands the use of Raman spectroscopy as a potential tool for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, which is currently the most prevalent, and fastest growing type of dementia in the Western world. Using a commercial Raman spectrometer (Renishaw PLC ?, UK) flash frozen post-mortem ex vivo brain tissue sections were illuminated using a high power (20mW) 830 nm near infrared diode laser, and subsequently spectra were gained in the region of 2000–200 cm-1 from a 10 second accumulation time. Ethical approval was gained for the examination of 18 individual donors exhibiting varying states of Alzheimer's disease, Huntingdon's disease and their corresponding age-matched healthy controls. Following on from previous preliminary studies, the Raman spectra were found to be highly reproducible, and when examined further, the spectra showed differences relating to the content and structure of the proteins in the individual brain samples, in particular, the beta-amyloid protein structure found in Alzheimer's disease patients. Principle components analysis further determined these protein structural changes, with Alzheimer's disease and Huntingdon's disease samples being defined from the healthy controls, and from each other.