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Application of Plasma Neuron-Derived Exosome-Based Multimodal Biomarkers in the Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease
ZHONG M.. Research Square, 2026-04-09
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Abstract Objectives Alzheimer disease (AD) pathology begins 15–20 years before clinical symptoms, necessitating non - invasive biomarkers for early diagnosis. Neuron - derived exosomes (NDEs) carry intraneuronal cargo into peripheral blood, offering a window into early AD pathology. This study aimed to develop a multimodal biomarker model integrating NDE markers, plasma free biomarkers, and imaging indicators for preclinical AD diagnosis using retrospective data.
Key findings
- Neuron - derived exosomes (NDEs) carry intraneuronal cargo into peripheral blood, offering a window into early AD pathology.
- This study aimed to develop a multimodal biomarker model integrating NDE markers, plasma free biomarkers, and imaging indicators for preclinical AD diagnosis using retrospective data.
- Methods This retrospective study analyzed data from 400 participants: preclinical AD (A + T+N -, n = 120), AD dementia (A + T+N+, n = 80), MCI due to AD (MCI - AD, A + T+N+, n = 80), and cognitively normal controls (A - T - N -, n = 120).
- Plasma NDEs were isolated using L1CAM immunocapture.
Why it matters
This retrospective study of 400 participants developed a multimodal model combining neuron-derived exosome markers, plasma free biomarkers and imaging indicators for preclinical Alzheimer diagnosis. It is aimed at earlier diagnosis, not at treating, curing or preventing the disease.
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Study details
- Participants120
- Effect size88.3%; 86.7%
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 16/100
Preprint — not yet peer-reviewed. It scored 23 on the same rubric, but non-peer-reviewed sources are capped at 16, so it shows as 16. Scored zero for study design and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on impact for its field and year, senior author's track record and institution's track record, so those were left out: it earned 20 of the 87 points we could judge it on, which is 23 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 2 / 10 | Tier 4 — not a peer-reviewed journal (Research Square) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Not a journal article, so the journal's record does not count |
| 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 | 4 / 10 | Preprint — not yet peer-reviewed. Hosted on a preprint server. |
| How recent | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 120 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) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 0 / 7 | Cited 0 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.0 citations a year over 2 year(s) since 2026 |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 0 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | OpenAlex's profile for last-listed author Min ZHONG holds only 1 work(s), too few to judge a track record — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 0 institution(s) in 0 countries — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 20 / 87 | Scored on 17 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 20 of the 87 points we could judge it on is 23 out of 100. |
| Total | 23 / 100 | Capped to 16 because this is not a peer-reviewed article. |
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. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
ZHONG, M. (2026). Application of Plasma Neuron-Derived Exosome-Based Multimodal Biomarkers in the Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease. Research Square. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9319300/v1
Vancouver
ZHONG M. Application of Plasma Neuron-Derived Exosome-Based Multimodal Biomarkers in the Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease. Research Square. 2026. doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-9319300/v1.
BibTeX
@article{zhong2026-6f685015,
author = {ZHONG, M.},
title = {{Application of Plasma Neuron-Derived Exosome-Based Multimodal Biomarkers in the Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease}},
journal = {Research Square},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.21203/rs.3.rs-9319300/v1},
url = {https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9319300/v1}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here. Showing 12 of 15.