Methods for determining neurotransmitter metabolism markers for clinical diagnostics

Published data describing the current status and prospects for the development of clinical diagnostics of a number of neurodegenerative and neuroendocrine diseases associated with neurotransmitter balance disorders in a human body are generalized, systematized, and assessed in the review. Characteristics, advantages, and limitations of neuroimaging techniques and different diagnostic methods based on measuring concentrations of protein markers, catecholamines, and their metabolites are discussed. Prospects of the application of optical methods, such as fluorimetry and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, to the development of sensor systems for the diagnosis of these diseases by the concentration of catecholamines and their metabolites in biological fluids are demonstrated.