{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,27]],"date-time":"2026-09-27T02:44:59Z","timestamp":1790477099177,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":44,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,30]],"date-time":"2025-05-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1748563200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Recep Tayyip Erdogan University Development Foundation","award":["02025005002466"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["02025005002466"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Biomolecules"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Alzheimer\u2019s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive decline, synaptic dysfunction, and neuronal loss. Identifying reliable biomarkers for early diagnosis and disease monitoring remains a critical need. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the serum levels of NPAS-4 (Neuronal PAS Domain Protein 4) and NPTX-2 (Neuronal Pentraxin 2) in patients with Alzheimer\u2019s disease, exploring their potential roles in disease pathophysiology and their relationship with lipid parameters. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that included 63 patients diagnosed with Alzheimer\u2019s disease and 56 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Venous blood samples were collected from all participants. NPAS-4 and NPTX-2 levels were measured using the ELISA method, while lipid parameters were analyzed via spectrophotometric techniques. Cognitive assessment was performed using the Standardized Mini-Mental Test (SMMT). Comparative analyses between groups, correlation studies, logistic regression, and ROC analyses were conducted. Results: Serum NPAS-4 and NPTX-2 levels were significantly lower in Alzheimer\u2019s patients compared to healthy controls (p &lt; 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively). Additionally, total cholesterol and LDL levels were lower in the patient group. Logistic regression analysis identified NPAS-4 as an independent risk predictor for Alzheimer\u2019s disease (OR = 0.313, p &lt; 0.001). ROC analyses demonstrated that both biomarkers had significant diagnostic discrimination power. However, no significant correlation was found between NPAS-4 and NPTX-2 levels and SMMT scores or lipid parameters. Conclusions: The decreased levels of NPAS-4 and NPTX-2 in Alzheimer\u2019s patients may reflect biochemical manifestations of impaired synaptic plasticity. These findings suggest that NPAS-4 and NPTX-2 may serve as potential early biomarkers in the diagnosis and monitoring of Alzheimer\u2019s disease.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/biom15060795","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,30]],"date-time":"2025-05-30T09:22:41Z","timestamp":1748596961000},"page":"795","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Serum Npas-4 and Nptx-2 Levels in Alzheimer\u2019s Disease: Potential Biomarkers of Synaptic Dysfunction in a Cross-Sectional Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2033-3692","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alev","family":"Lazoglu Ozkaya","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biochemistry, Erzurum City Hospital, Erzurum 25240, T\u00fcrkiye"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0224-8272","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nilifer","family":"G\u00fcrb\u00fczer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychiatry, Erzurum Faculty of Medicine, University of Health Sciences, Erzurum 25240, T\u00fcrkiye"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8506-1755","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tolga","family":"Mercantepe","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Rize 53100, T\u00fcrkiye"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4325-1534","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Filiz","family":"Mercantepe","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Rize 53100, T\u00fcrkiye"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"(2021). 2021 Alzheimer\u2019s Disease Facts and Figures. 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