In this test-specific episode of “Answers From the Lab,” host Bobbi Pritt, M.D., chair of the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at Mayo Clinic, and Bjorn Oskarsson, M.D., a neurologist at Mayo Clinic’s Florida campus, discuss how the neurofilament light chain test available through Mayo Clinic Laboratories helps physicians diagnose neurological disease and assess neuronal damage.

Specific topics of discussion include: 

• Benefits of the neurofilament light chain test that uses plasma rather than spinal fluid.
• How levels of neurofilament light chain – a nonspecific biomarker – play a role in clinical decision-making.
• How the test can be used to guide treatment options for neurological conditions including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and multiple sclerosis (MS).

Podcast episode

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Podcast episode in video format

"Answers From the Lab" is a Mayo Clinic Laboratories curated podcast sharing knowledge and advancements regarding the state of testing, laboratory science, and the people who make it all happen behind the scenes. 

Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting. Due to the fluid nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientific understanding, along with guidelines and recommendations, may have changed since the original publication date.