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65/100

✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 65 out of 100. Tau biomarkers

Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis

Plain-language summary

Importance The utility of plasma total tau level as a prognostic marker for cognitive decline and dementia is not well understood. Objectives To determine (1) the association between plasma total tau level, cognitive decline, and risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia; (2) whether this association differs by the presence of elevated brain amyloid β (Aβ); and (3) whether plasma total tau level is associated with cognitive decline over a short interval of 15 months. Design, setting, and participants The present analyses included 458 participants who were enrolled in a population-based cohort study between October 2008 and June 2013.

What this study adds

Evidence grade: Moderate

This is a follow-up (cohort) study of 458 participants. This cohort study of 458 participants examined whether plasma total tau level is linked to cognitive decline and risk of mild cognitive impairment or dementia. Reported effect size: 62.7%.

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

Mielke, M. M., Hagen, C. E., Wennberg, A. M. V., Airey, D. C., Savica, R., Knopman, D. S., et al. (2017). Association of Plasma Total Tau Level With Cognitive Decline and Risk of Mild Cognitive Impairment or Dementia in the Mayo Clinic Study on Aging. JAMA neurology. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaneurol.2017.1359

Vancouver

Mielke MM, Hagen CE, Wennberg AMV, Airey DC, Savica R, Knopman DS, et al. Association of Plasma Total Tau Level With Cognitive Decline and Risk of Mild Cognitive Impairment or Dementia in the Mayo Clinic Study on Aging. JAMA neurology. 2017. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2017.1359. PMID: 28692710.

BibTeX

@article{mielke2017-28692710,
  author  = {Mielke, M. M. and Hagen, C. E. and Wennberg, A. M. V. and Airey, D. C. and Savica, R. and Knopman, D. S. and Machulda, M. M. and Roberts, R. O. and others},
  title   = {{Association of Plasma Total Tau Level With Cognitive Decline and Risk of Mild Cognitive Impairment or Dementia in the Mayo Clinic Study on Aging}},
  journal = {JAMA neurology},
  year    = {2017},
  doi     = {10.1001/jamaneurol.2017.1359},
  pmid    = {28692710},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaneurol.2017.1359}
}

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's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.

How to read this study

Design: this is a follow-up (cohort) study. People are observed over time and not assigned to anything, so an association can reflect other differences between groups. Look at how long follow-up lasted, how many dropped out, and whether the authors adjusted for age, education and other health conditions.
Size: the record lists 458 participants. Ask whether that is enough for the question, and who they were.
Effect: the record reports “62.7%”. A statistically significant result can still be small in daily life.

What the evidence grade means here

This page is graded moderate. alzhub.org assigns the grade automatically from keywords in the abstract, not from reading the paper. Moderate means the abstract mentions a cohort, case-control or longitudinal design. 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

Objectives To determine (1) the association between plasma total tau level, cognitive decline, and risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia; (2) whether this association differs by the presence of elevated brain amyloid β (Aβ); and (3) whether plasma total tau level is associated with cognitive decline over a short interval of 15 months.
Design, setting, and participants The present analyses included 458 participants who were enrolled in a population-based cohort study between October 2008 and June 2013.
All included participants had available plasma total tau levels, Aβ positron emission tomography imaging, and a complete neuropsychological examine at the same visit, as well as at least 1 follow-up visit.
Exposures Concentration of plasma total tau.

Why it matters

This cohort study of 458 participants examined whether plasma total tau level is linked to cognitive decline and risk of mild cognitive impairment or dementia. It is a prognostic marker study and does not test any treatment, cure, or prevention.

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

Study details

Study designcohort study
Participants458
Effect size62.7%
Evidence strengthModerate

How this study scored 65/100

Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a cohort study following people over time. Scored zero for randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.

Component	Points	Why
Journal tier	9 / 10	Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (JAMA neurology)
Journal's citation record	2 / 4	JAMA Neurology: journal h-index 235 (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	2017 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here
Sample size	2 / 4	458 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	5 / 7	Cited 211 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10)
Citations per year	3 / 5	19.2 citations a year over 11 year(s) since 2017
Impact for its field and year	4 / 6	Cited 15.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI)
Cited by studies here	3 / 6	Cited by 22 other studies in this library
Still being cited	2 / 4	Cited 46 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex)
Senior author's track record	3 / 4	Last-listed author Jeffrey L. Dage: h-index 50 (OpenAlex, whole career)
Institution's track record	2 / 3	Mayo Clinic: institution h-index 1,606 (OpenAlex)
Multicenter collaboration	1 / 3	OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country
Indexed in PubMed	2 / 2	Indexed in PubMed (PMID 28692710)
Free to read	0 / 2	Behind a paywall — scores zero
Total	65 / 100	—

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

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