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Association of total tau and phosphorylated tau 181 protein levels in cerebrospinal fluid with cerebral atrophy in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer disease
Thomann PA, Kaiser E, Schönknecht P, Pantel J, Essig M, Schröder J.. Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience : JPN, 2009-03-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Background We sought to examine the association of levels of total tau (t-tau) and phosphorylated tau 181 (p-tau181) protein with brain morphology in mild cognitive impairment, as defined by the concept of aging-associated cognitive decline (AACD) and Alzheimer disease. Methods Twenty-three participants with AACD, 16 with Alzheimer disease and 15 healthy controls underwent magnetic resonance imaging and lumbar puncture. We performed voxel-based morphometry to investigate the association between tau levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and cerebral grey matter density throughout the entire brain.
Key findings
- Methods Twenty-three participants with AACD, 16 with Alzheimer disease and 15 healthy controls underwent magnetic resonance imaging and lumbar puncture.
- We performed voxel-based morphometry to investigate the association between tau levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and cerebral grey matter density throughout the entire brain.
- Results Voxel-based morphometry revealed that both elevated t-tau and p-tau181 concentrations were associated with reduced grey matter density in temporal, parietal and frontal regions.
- Among participants with AACD, elevated levels of p-tau181 (but not t-tau) in CSF were correlated with a pronounced atrophy in the right hippocampus.
Why it matters
In this small study, higher levels of total tau and phosphorylated tau 181 in cerebrospinal fluid were linked to lower grey matter density in several brain regions in people with aging-associated cognitive decline and Alzheimer disease. This supports using these fluid markers to track brain changes, but it does not show that measuring or lowering tau affects the disease course.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 35/100
Published in a peer-reviewed 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 | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience : JPN) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience: journal h-index 124 (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 | 2009 — 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 | 4 / 7 | Cited 52 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.7 citations a year over 19 year(s) since 2009 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 2.6× 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 | 1 / 4 | Cited 5 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Johannes Schröder: h-index 63 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Heidelberg University: institution h-index 1,344 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 19270764) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 35 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. This record has no DOI, so the citation leaves it out. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Thomann, P. A., Kaiser, E., Schönknecht, P., Pantel, J., Essig, M., & Schröder, J. (2009). Association of total tau and phosphorylated tau 181 protein levels in cerebrospinal fluid with cerebral atrophy in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer disease. Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience : JPN.
Vancouver
Thomann PA, Kaiser E, Schönknecht P, Pantel J, Essig M, Schröder J. Association of total tau and phosphorylated tau 181 protein levels in cerebrospinal fluid with cerebral atrophy in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer disease. Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience : JPN. 2009. PMID: 19270764.
BibTeX
@article{thomann2009-19270764,
author = {Thomann, P. A. and Kaiser, E. and Schönknecht, P. and Pantel, J. and Essig, M. and Schröder, J.},
title = {{Association of total tau and phosphorylated tau 181 protein levels in cerebrospinal fluid with cerebral atrophy in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer disease}},
journal = {Journal of psychiatry \& neuroscience : JPN},
year = {2009},
pmid = {19270764}
}
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