PROTEIN MARKERS OF BRAIN-DAMAGE

Brain proteins are released into body fluids in a fashion which reflec ts the underlying pathogenetic mechanisms for individual diseases. It is therefore important to distinguish not only different protein marke rs (reflecting various brain cells from which they have been released) , but also their metabolism at different sites within the body (e.g re ticulo-endothelial system vs renal clearance) which will have on impor tant bearing on whether fragments of the protein ore found in urine or blood. It is clear that different patterns of protein abnormalities w ould be helpful in differential diagnosis of the individual diseases w hich afflict the nervous system. It would also be useful to monitor th ese Proteins either as surrogate markers of the natural history of the condition or in the various therapies for each disease.