# Should CSF Biomarkers Support a Routine Analysis for Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease?

Authors: Lucilla Parnetti; Jens Wiltfang; Kaj Blennow
Journal: International Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
 (2010)

---

## Body

## Tuula Pirttilä In Memoriam

Professor Tuula Pirttilä from University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland, passed away on March 24, 2010. She was fighting against cancer for almost five years. Despite of her disease, she was constantly working as clinical doctor, scientist, and teacher.Tuula Pirttilä was born in Kuopio. She studied Medicine at the University of Tampere and got her M.D. in 1983. She completed her residency in neurology in 1990 and got the degree of PhD three years later. After that, she moved to New York, USA and as post doc she carried out doing studies on biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease. She was nominated as docent in neurology at the University of Tampere in 1995. She then returned to Kuopio as associate professor of Neurology in 1997 and was nominated full professor of neurology in 2005.People who have been working with her, remember her as an excellent clinician, teacher and scientist. Ethical issues were very important for her. She served many years as a chairperson of the Ethical Committee of Kuopio University Hospital. Tuula was also an active performer in patient organisations and in Finnish Alzheimer Research Society. Among many other things she was also chairperson in the working group defining national and European guidelines for diagnosis of Alzheimer disease. Her contribution to the science was mainly focused on biomarkers. She could use excellent material collected in Kuopio Finland including plasma, serum, CSF samples from patients with neurodegenerative diseases, especially Alzheimer’s disease. Her group set up a service laboratory at the University of Eastern Finland that is currently serving the whole country. Her contribution to the EU funded cNEUPRO Consortium has been decisive for the success of the initiative, and she gave her enthusiastic contribution until she could.Tuula showed unbelievable talent and wisdom. She will be remembered as a very warm and ethusiastic person, always available to listen and engage, and her smiles and laughs were contagious.All of us who had the privilege to work with her are missing a great person, scientist, teacher and clinician.Hilkka SoininenLucilla ParnettiJens WiltfangKaj Blennow



---

*Source: 293587-2010-11-08.xml*