Brain health
GFAP
A marker associated with astrocytic activation and injury.
What it measures
Glial fibrillary acidic protein released from astrocytes.
Why it matters
Studied and used increasingly in neurodegenerative and neurological disease assessment.
How to interpret it
Interpret within disease-specific evidence and assay context.
Important limitations
Not specific to normal aging or one disease process.
Evidence status
Emerging biomarker
Promising blood biomarker for neurological disease contexts; general longevity use is not established.
Research & guidance
Original papers, validation studies, reviews and clinical guidance connected to this measurement.
systematic review
Blood biomarkers for diagnosis and differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease in real-world clinical populations: A systematic review
Alzheimer's & Dementia · 2026
GFAP showed moderate to strong but variable diagnostic performance and may provide complementary information in neurological assessment.
prospective cohort
Blood-based biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease and incident dementia in the community
Nature Medicine · 2025
Community cohort evidence associates GFAP with future dementia risk; population screening implications require careful interpretation.
For education and evidence exploration, not diagnosis or individualized medical advice.