Plasma Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein Correlates With Brain Metal Burden in Wilson's Disease.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Neuroinflammation driven by extracellular copper contributes to neuronal damage in Wilson's disease (WD). This study investigated the relationship between brain metal burden and peripheral neuroinflammation markers in WD.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 89 participants, including patients with WD (n = 63), asymptomatic ATP7B heterozygous carriers (n = 12), and age/sex-matched controls (n = 14). Brain metal burden was assessed using quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) MRI. Plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels were measured. Clinical severity was evaluated using the mini-Unified Wilson's Disease Rating Scale (UWDRS) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). The influence of copper chelat

SUBMITTER: Fan SP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12698960 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature