{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T04:34:27Z","timestamp":1787027667367,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":25,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,14]],"date-time":"2021-02-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1613260800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Brain Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Damage to axonal cells releases neurofilament light chain (NFL) into the cerebrospinal fluid and plasma. The objective of this study was to investigate NFL as a potential biomarker of disease activity in neurosarcoidosis. MRIs were graded according to enhancing lesions at different central nervous system (CNS) sites. Results: In cerebrospinal fluid, levels of NFL were higher in neurosarcoidosis patients (n = 20) median 2304 pg\/mL (interquartile range (IQR) 630\u201319,612) compared to 426 pg\/mL (IQR 261-571) in extra-neurologic sarcoidosis patients (n = 20) and 336 pg\/mL (IQR 194\u2013402) in healthy controls (n = 11) (p = 0.0002). In plasma, levels of NFL were higher in neurosarcoidosis patients median 28.2 pg\/mL (IQR 11.5\u201349.3) compared to 6.2 pg\/mL (IQR 4.3\u20138.2) in extra-neurologic sarcoidosis patients and 7.1 pg\/mL (IQR 6.2\u20139.0) in healthy controls (p = 0.0001). Levels in both cerebrospinal fluid and plasma were higher in neurosarcoidosis patients with moderate\/severe enhancement than patients with mild enhancement on MRI (p = 0.009 and p = 0.005, respectively). To distinguish neurosarcoidosis patients from extra-neurologic patients and healthy controls, a cut-off level of 630 pg\/mL in cerebrospinal fluid had 94% specificity and 79% sensitivity, while a cut-off level of 11.4 pg\/mL in plasma had 97% specificity and 75% sensitivity. Conclusions: NFL levels in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma are significantly higher in neurosarcoidosis patients compared to extra-neurologic patients and healthy controls, and the levels correlate to the extent of inflammation on MRI.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/brainsci11020238","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,14]],"date-time":"2021-02-14T05:54:49Z","timestamp":1613282089000},"page":"238","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":10,"title":["Elevated Neurofilament Light Chain in Cerebrospinal Fluid and Plasma Reflect Inflammatory MRI Activity in Neurosarcoidosis"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4834-5457","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Keld-Erik","family":"Byg","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurology, Odense University Hospital, J.B. Winsloewsvej 4, 5000 Odense, Denmark"},{"name":"BRIDGE\u2014Brain Research\u2014Inter-Disciplinary Guided Excellence, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsloesvej 19, 5000 Odense, Denmark"},{"name":"Rheumatology Research Unit, Odense University Hospital, J.B. Winsloewsvej 4, 5000 Odense, Denmark"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Helle","family":"Nielsen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurology, Odense University Hospital, J.B. Winsloewsvej 4, 5000 Odense, Denmark"},{"name":"BRIDGE\u2014Brain Research\u2014Inter-Disciplinary Guided Excellence, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsloesvej 19, 5000 Odense, Denmark"},{"name":"Department of Neurobiology Research, Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsloesvej 21, 5000 Odense, Denmark"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7682-2188","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tobias","family":"Sejbaek","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"BRIDGE\u2014Brain Research\u2014Inter-Disciplinary Guided Excellence, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsloesvej 19, 5000 Odense, Denmark"},{"name":"Department of Neurology, South West Jutland University Hospital of Southern Denmark, Finsensgade 35, 6700 Esbjerg, Denmark"},{"name":"Department of Regional Health Research, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsloesvej 19, 5000 Odense, Denmark"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6668-4714","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jonna","family":"Madsen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Regional Health Research, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsloesvej 19, 5000 Odense, Denmark"},{"name":"Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Lillebaelt Hospital, University Hospital of Southern Denmark, Beriderbakken 4, 7100 Vejle, Denmark"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dorte","family":"Olsen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Lillebaelt Hospital, University Hospital of Southern Denmark, Beriderbakken 4, 7100 Vejle, Denmark"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nina","family":"Nguyen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Radiology, Odense University Hospital, J.B. Winsloewsvej 4, 5000 Odense, Denmark"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Astrid","family":"Kindt","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Ophthalmology, Odense University Hospital, J.B. Winsloewsvej 4, 5000 Odense, Denmark"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jakob","family":"Grauslund","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Ophthalmology, Odense University Hospital, J.B. Winsloewsvej 4, 5000 Odense, Denmark"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zsolt","family":"Illes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurology, Odense University Hospital, J.B. Winsloewsvej 4, 5000 Odense, Denmark"},{"name":"BRIDGE\u2014Brain Research\u2014Inter-Disciplinary Guided Excellence, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsloesvej 19, 5000 Odense, Denmark"},{"name":"Department of Neurobiology Research, Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsloesvej 21, 5000 Odense, Denmark"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0426-4962","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Torkell","family":"Ellingsen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Rheumatology Research Unit, Odense University Hospital, J.B. Winsloewsvej 4, 5000 Odense, Denmark"},{"name":"Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsloesvej 19, 5000 Odense, Denmark"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,14]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"46","article-title":"Sarcoidosis in Denmark 1980\u20131994. A registry-based incidence study comprising 5536 patients","volume":"20","author":"Byg","year":"2003","journal-title":"Sarcoidosis Vasc. Diffus. 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