In a recent study, serum-based markers of chronic liver disease (e.g. total bilirubin, albumin, alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase) were found to correlate with decreased cognitive performance, increased brain amyloid loads, higher CSF tau levels, greater brain atrophy, and reduced brain glucose metabolism in AD subjects from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) cohort [155], suggesting that liver dysfunction may participate in the development of AD. The gene discussed is ALB; the disease is Alzheimer disease.