Neurology
Neurology testing overview
The rapid expansion of neurology testing has resulted in the discovery of increasing numbers of clinically relevant biomarkers. Mayo Clinic Laboratories collaborates closely with the clinical practice to develop and offer advanced testing — much of which is unavailable anywhere else — to address the most difficult questions.
Our laboratories are led by board-certified clinical neurologists and clinical chemists who have extensive experience using testing to guide patient care. These experts are available for consultations on test selection and results interpretation. Our physicians are committed to research and discovery to pave the way for the future of neurology testing.
Comprehensive disease testing
A collaboration with BioPharma Diagnostics includes access to the neurologic disease testing capabilities of Mayo Clinic Laboratories, including:
- Alzheimer's disease
- Demyelinating disease
- Epilepsy
- Mitochondrial disease
- Movement disorders
- Neuromuscular disorders
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Sleep disorders
News and updates
The latest
Mayo Clinic Laboratories has developed a cutting-edge suite of Alzheimer's disease testing. The newest assays use blood samples, avoiding the need for lumbar punctures to obtain cerebrospinal fluid. The testing suite exemplifies Mayo Clinic Laboratories' innovative business approach. As a platform company, Mayo Clinic is creating a diagnostics ecosystem to meet a wide range of testing needs and help physicians order the right tests for their patients.
Mayo Clinic Laboratories introduces the Inherited Parkinson’s Disease Gene Panel (Mayo ID: PARDP), a collaborative breakthrough poised to transform Parkinson’s disease diagnosis and treatment. Led by Rodolfo Savica, M.D., Ph.D., and Zhiyv (Neal) Niu, Ph.D., this comprehensive test offers unparalleled insights into Parkinson’s genetics, unveiling novel gene associations and enhancing diagnostic precision through next-generation sequencing. The panel’s capabilities include detecting subtle genetic variations and identifying familial patterns, promising personalized medicine advancements.
Alicia Algeciras-Schimnich, Ph.D., discusses Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ new noninvasive plasma biomarker assay for Alzheimer’s disease, an accessible, highly accurate testing option for individuals age 50 and above who are experiencing mild cognitive impairment or early dementia. Positive test results can confirm amyloid beta pathology and facilitate access to disease-modifying therapies.
Join Mayo Clinic Laboratories at the American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting 2024.
Multiple doctors and multiple examinations could not figure out why Lauri Sieben had spent much of her life “never feeling quite right” physically. Fortunately for Lauri, that changed after her daughter Christy began working as a genetic counselor in Mayo Clinic’s Molecular Technologies Laboratory. After seeing similarities between the patient testing she was performing for the lab and the physical symptoms being experienced by her mom, Christy took a leading role in getting Lauri to undergo molecular and biochemical testing at Mayo Clinic. The results of that testing not only provided much-needed answers, but a promising path forward for Lauri.
Robin Patel, M.D., explains how a new Mayo Clinic Laboratories' assay can identify central nervous system pathogens that standard tests fail to detect. Rapid, precise diagnosis is essential to preventing long-term effects from these infections.
Antibody against the GABA-A receptor is a biomarker of autoimmune encephalopathy that occurs across the lifespan, and disproportionately affects children. In this test-specific episode of the "Answers From the Lab" podcast, Andrew McKeon, M.B., B.Ch., M.D., explains how Mayo Clinic Laboratories' GABA-A receptor antibody assay aids diagnosis of this serious but treatable condition.
In this month's "Hot Topic," Nicole Boczek, Ph.D., assistant professor and laboratory director in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, and Sarah Barnett, M.S., CGC, discuss diagnostic exploratory testing, explain why it’s important to the field of many specialty practice areas, and help determine which testing may be the most valuable for a given patient.
One summer morning, James Kypuros awoke to find his toes stiffened like claws. Then he started having falls, which culminated in losing his ability to walk or even sit up without help. Diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, James wouldn’t find hope or relief until he was treated for glycine receptor antibody syndrome following specialized testing by Mayo Clinic.
In this month's "Hot Topic," Megan Hoenig, M.S., M.P.H., CGC, a licensed and certified genetic counselor with the Division of Laboratory Genetics and Genomics at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, describes the principles and benefits of Familial Variant Targeted Testing (FMTT).
In August of 2021, 28-year-old Mike Knudson, a Twin Cities resident known for his vibrant and active lifestyle, set out on what he anticipated to be an adventurous hiking vacation to the picturesque Glacier National Park in Montana. Little did he know that this journey in nature would be the start of an unexpected life path.
In this “Hot Topic,” Divyanshu Dubey, M.B.B.S., associate professor of laboratory medicine and pathology and neurology at Mayo Clinic, discusses various clinical and paraclinical features of autoimmune encephalitis, autoimmune seizures, and epilepsy.
Identifying a precise genetic cause of hearing loss impacts clinical management. Nicole Boczek, Ph.D., and Melanie Meyer, M.S., CGC, explain how Mayo Clinic Laboratories' updated panel yields comprehensive results for optimal patient care.