Home › Research › Tau biomarkers
Association of midlife vascular risk and AD biomarkers with subsequent cognitive decline
Pettigrew C, Soldan A, Wang J, Wang MC, Arthur K, Moghekar A, Gottesman RF, Albert M.. Neurology, 2020-09-28
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Objective To determine whether vascular risk and Alzheimer disease (AD) biomarkers have independent or synergistic effects on cognitive decline and whether vascular risk is associated with the accumulation of AD pathology as measured by change in biomarkers over time. Methods At baseline, participants (n = 168) were cognitively normal and primarily middle-aged (mean 56.4 years, SD 10.9 years) and had both vascular risk factor status and proximal CSF biomarkers available. Baseline vascular risk was quantified with a composite vascular risk score reflecting the presence or absence of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, current smoking, and obesity.
Key findings
- Methods At baseline, participants (n = 168) were cognitively normal and primarily middle-aged (mean 56.4 years, SD 10.9 years) and had both vascular risk factor status and proximal CSF biomarkers available.
- Baseline vascular risk was quantified with a composite vascular risk score reflecting the presence or absence of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, current smoking, and obesity.
- CSF biomarkers of β-amyloid (Aβ) 1-42 , total tau (t-tau), and phosphorylated tau (p-tau) were used to create dichotomous high and low AD biomarker groups (based on Aβ 1-42 and tau).
- Linear mixed-effects models were used to examine change in a cognitive composite score (mean follow-up 13.9 years) and change in CSF biomarkers (mean follow-up 4.2 years).
Why it matters
In 168 mostly middle-aged cognitively normal people, the study looked at whether vascular risk factors and Alzheimer biomarkers act separately or together on later cognitive decline. It is a cohort study, so it can show associations but cannot prove that treating vascular risk prevents Alzheimer's disease.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Blood tests & biomarkers →
Study details
- Study designcohort study
- Participants168
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 61/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a cohort study following people over time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / 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 | 7 / 12 | A cohort study following people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2020 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 168 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| 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 | 4 / 7 | Cited 50 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 6.2 citations a year over 8 year(s) since 2020 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 26 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Marilyn Albert: h-index 89 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Johns Hopkins University: institution h-index 2,306 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 32989109) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 61 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000010946
- PubMed: 32989109
- Original source →
- Free full text: PubMed Central →
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 8 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
Pettigrew, C., Soldan, A., Wang, J., Wang, M. C., Arthur, K., Moghekar, A., et al. (2020). Association of midlife vascular risk and AD biomarkers with subsequent cognitive decline. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000010946
Vancouver
Pettigrew C, Soldan A, Wang J, Wang MC, Arthur K, Moghekar A, et al. Association of midlife vascular risk and AD biomarkers with subsequent cognitive decline. Neurology. 2020. doi:10.1212/wnl.0000000000010946. PMID: 32989109.
BibTeX
@article{pettigrew2020-32989109,
author = {Pettigrew, C. and Soldan, A. and Wang, J. and Wang, M. C. and Arthur, K. and Moghekar, A. and Gottesman, R. F. and Albert, M.},
title = {{Association of midlife vascular risk and AD biomarkers with subsequent cognitive decline}},
journal = {Neurology},
year = {2020},
doi = {10.1212/wnl.0000000000010946},
pmid = {32989109},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000010946}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here. Showing 12 of 30.
Later studies that cite this one
4 studies in the alzhub library list this one in their references.