What is the article about?
“The article describes how to predict which individuals, with mild memory difficulties, are at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, using a spinal fluid test.”
Did you suspect that the article would receive a lot of attention when you submitted the manuscript 11 years ago?
“Yes, we did. But perhaps not how much attention it would receive. And that it would have such major practical consequences. As for me, I have built all of my continued research on this finding. It has also had an impact on diagnostic criteria and guidelines from authorities both in Sweden and internationally, including the European Medicines Agency, EMA.”
When did the world realise the importance of the discovery?
“People became interested fairly quickly. Somewhat surprisingly, however, the interest has remained ever since – the article is still cited. Furthermore, the results have not been significantly challenged.”
The article is entitled “Association between CSF Biomarkers and Incipient Alzheimer’s Disease in Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment: a Follow-up Study”, and is a collaboration with Professor Kaj Blennow and Professor Henrik Zetterberg at Sahlgrenska University Hospital/University of Gothenburg.
Google’s top-10 list of the most cited articles in geriatrics
Oskar Hansson is a professor at Lund University’s Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, and a medical consultant at the Memory Clinic at Skåne University Hospital.