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54/100

✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 54 out of 100. Biomarkers

Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis

Plain-language summary

Results We analyzed data from 488 participants (mean [SD] age = 54.3 [10.5]; 66.8% women). Higher PlGF levels were associated with older age (R [CI] = 0.25 [0.17-0.33]); greater WMH volume (R [CI] = 0.2 [0.11-0.29]); and higher levels of GFAP (R [CI] = 0.11 [0.02-0.2]), p-tau181 (R [CI] = 0.12 [0.03-0.21]), and NfL (R [CI] = 0.19 [0.1-0.27]). Higher VEGF-D was associated with increased GFAP (R [CI] = 0.11 [0.02-0.19]) and NfL (R [CI] = 0.16 [0.07-0.25]) levels. bFGF concentration was associated with a lower Aβ42/40 ratio (R [CI] = -0.1 [-0.19 to -0.02]) and higher p-tau181 levels (R [CI] = 0.13 [0.04-0.21]). The best fitting path model showed that PlGF had an indirect effect on GFAP levels mediated by WMH. Discussion The findings suggest that permeability of the blood-brain barrier is linked to AD pathophysiology, contributes to cerebrovascular lesions observed on MRI, and is associated with neuroinflammation in middle age.

What this study adds

Evidence grade: Low

The record lists 488 participants. In 488 middle-aged adults, blood markers of blood-brain barrier permeability were linked to markers of Alzheimer pathology, cerebrovascular lesions, and neuroinflammation. Reported effect size: 66.8%.

Taken from this record’s own fields, not from reading the paper. The grade is assigned from the abstract’s wording; what that means.

Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris

APA 7th

Edwards, N. C., Lao, P., Alshikho, M. J., Mazen, J., Huber, B., Hale, C., et al. (2025). Alzheimer Disease, Vascular Disease, and Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability Biomarkers in Middle-Aged Adults. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000214220

Vancouver

Edwards NC, Lao P, Alshikho MJ, Mazen J, Huber B, Hale C, et al. Alzheimer Disease, Vascular Disease, and Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability Biomarkers in Middle-Aged Adults. Neurology. 2025. doi:10.1212/wnl.0000000000214220. PMID: 41052375.

BibTeX

@article{edwards2025-41052375,
  author  = {Edwards, N. C. and Lao, P. and Alshikho, M. J. and Mazen, J. and Huber, B. and Hale, C. and Berroa, J. and Morel, N. and others},
  title   = {{Alzheimer Disease, Vascular Disease, and Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability Biomarkers in Middle-Aged Adults}},
  journal = {Neurology},
  year    = {2025},
  doi     = {10.1212/wnl.0000000000214220},
  pmid    = {41052375},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000214220}
}

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How to read this study

Design: our record does not state a study design, so check the methods section of the original before weighing the result.
Size: the record lists 488 participants. Ask whether that is enough for the question, and who they were.
Effect: the record reports “66.8%”. A statistically significant result can still be small in daily life.

What the evidence grade means here

This page is graded low. alzhub.org assigns the grade automatically from keywords in the abstract, not from reading the paper. Low means the abstract matched neither pattern. It is the default label, and it does not mean the work is poor; many sound lab and imaging papers land here. It can add at most 5 of the 100 points in the study score, and it is a label about design, not a verdict on whether the findings are true.

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Key findings

Results We analyzed data from 488 participants (mean [SD] age = 54.3 [10.5]; 66.8% women).
Higher PlGF levels were associated with older age (R [CI] = 0.25 [0.17-0.33]); greater WMH volume (R [CI] = 0.2 [0.11-0.29]); and higher levels of GFAP (R [CI] = 0.11 [0.02-0.2]), p-tau181 (R [CI] = 0.12 [0.03-0.21]), and NfL (R [CI] = 0.19 [0.1-0.27]).
Higher VEGF-D was associated with increased GFAP (R [CI] = 0.11 [0.02-0.19]) and NfL (R [CI] = 0.16 [0.07-0.25]) levels. bFGF concentration was associated with a lower Aβ42/40 ratio (R [CI] = -0.1 [-0.19 to -0.02]) and higher p-tau181 levels (R [CI] = 0.13 [0.04-0.21]).
The best fitting path model showed that PlGF had an indirect effect on GFAP levels mediated by WMH.
Discussion The findings suggest that permeability of the blood-brain barrier is linked to AD pathophysiology, contributes to cerebrovascular lesions observed on MRI, and is associated with neuroinflammation in middle age.

Why it matters

In 488 middle-aged adults, blood markers of blood-brain barrier permeability were linked to markers of Alzheimer pathology, cerebrovascular lesions, and neuroinflammation. This is an observational study and does not show that any treatment, cure, or prevention follows from these links.

New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Blood tests & biomarkers →

Study details

Participants488
Effect size66.8%
Evidence strengthLow

How this study scored 54/100

Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.

Component	Points	Why
Journal tier	9 / 10	Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Neurology)
Journal's citation record	4 / 4	Neurology: journal h-index 525 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29)
Study design	0 / 12	No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Strength of evidence	1 / 5	Rated “low” in our summary
Peer-review validation	10 / 10	Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal.
How recent	4 / 5	2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here
Sample size	2 / 4	488 participants
Effect reported	2 / 3	Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test
Studied in people	3 / 3	Studied in people (participant count stated)
Randomized / blinded	0 / 2	No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Times cited	3 / 7	Cited 17 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10)
Citations per year	2 / 5	5.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025
Impact for its field and year	4 / 6	Cited 10.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI)
Cited by studies here	0 / 6	No other study in this library cites it
Still being cited	2 / 4	Cited 17 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex)
Senior author's track record	3 / 4	Last-listed author Adam M. Brickman: h-index 87 (OpenAlex, whole career)
Institution's track record	2 / 3	Columbia University: institution h-index 1,824 (OpenAlex)
Multicenter collaboration	1 / 3	OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country
Indexed in PubMed	2 / 2	Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41052375)
Free to read	0 / 2	Behind a paywall — scores zero
Total	54 / 100	—

What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →

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Full text: free to read — PubMed Central lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 10 Oct 2026).

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