Home › Research › Risk genes beyond APOE
Amyloid-β oligomerization in Alzheimer dementia versus high-pathology controls
Esparza TJ, Zhao H, Cirrito JR, Cairns NJ, Bateman RJ, Holtzman DM, Brody DL.. Annals of neurology, 2012-12-07
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Objective Although amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptide deposition into insoluble plaques is a pathological hallmark of Alzheimer disease; soluble oligomeric Aβ has been hypothesized to more directly underlie impaired learning and memory in dementia of the Alzheimer type. However, the lack of a sensitive, specific, and quantitative assay for Aβ oligomers has hampered rigorous tests of this hypothesis. Methods We developed a plate-based single molecule counting fluorescence immunoassay for oligomeric Aβ sensitive to low pg/ml concentrations of synthetic Aβ dimers using the same Aβ-specific monoclonal antibody to both capture and detect Aβ.
Key findings
- However, the lack of a sensitive, specific, and quantitative assay for Aβ oligomers has hampered rigorous tests of this hypothesis.
- Methods We developed a plate-based single molecule counting fluorescence immunoassay for oligomeric Aβ sensitive to low pg/ml concentrations of synthetic Aβ dimers using the same Aβ-specific monoclonal antibody to both capture and detect Aβ.
- The Aβ oligomer assay does not recognize monomeric Aβ, amyloid precursor protein, or other non-Aβ peptide oligomers.
- Results Aβ oligomers were detected in aqueous cortical lysates from patients with dementia of the Alzheimer type and nondemented patients with Aβ plaque pathology.
Why it matters
A new single-molecule assay measured soluble amyloid beta oligomers, which are hypothesized to underlie impaired learning and memory in Alzheimer's dementia. This is a test-development study and does not by itself provide a treatment or cure.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Genetics →
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 52/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Annals of neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Annals of Neurology: journal h-index 437 (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 | 1 / 5 | 2013 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 308 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 20.5 citations a year over 15 year(s) since 2013 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 12.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 13 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 57 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author David L. Brody: h-index 60 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Washington University in St. Louis: institution h-index 1,962 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 23225543) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 52 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Esparza, T. J., Zhao, H., Cirrito, JR., Cairns, N. J., Bateman, R. J., Holtzman, D. M., et al. (2013). Amyloid-β oligomerization in Alzheimer dementia versus high-pathology controls. Annals of neurology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.23748
Vancouver
Esparza TJ, Zhao H, Cirrito JR, Cairns NJ, Bateman RJ, Holtzman DM, et al. Amyloid-β oligomerization in Alzheimer dementia versus high-pathology controls. Annals of neurology. 2013. doi:10.1002/ana.23748. PMID: 23225543.
BibTeX
@article{esparza2013-23225543,
author = {Esparza, T. J. and Zhao, H. and Cirrito, JR. and Cairns, N. J. and Bateman, R. J. and Holtzman, D. M. and Brody, D. L.},
title = {{Amyloid-β oligomerization in Alzheimer dementia versus high-pathology controls}},
journal = {Annals of neurology},
year = {2013},
doi = {10.1002/ana.23748},
pmid = {23225543},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.23748}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.
Later studies that cite this one
13 studies in the alzhub library list this one in their references. Showing the 8 highest-scoring.
Related studies in Risk genes beyond APOE
Also tagged “amyloid-beta”
1,339 studies in the library carry the topic tag “amyloid-beta”; these are this study's neighbours in a fixed, alphabetical-by-hash tour of them, not the closest in content. All 1,339 tagged studies.