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Associations between sleep quality, plasma neurofilament light, and cognition in older adults without dementia
Hai-Hua Guo, Dong-Xin Liang, Qun Zhang, Yan Fu, Liang-Yu Huang, Ze-Hu Sheng, Lan Tan, Zuo-Teng Wang. Translational Psychiatry, 2025-05-16
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
The relationship between sleep quality, neurofilament light chain (NFL), and cognitive impairment, including the potential effect of plasma NFL in this association, remains unclear. Using the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) cohort, we excluded individuals with dementia or a history of sleep-related medication use at baseline, including 640 participants with complete sleep assessments and covariates. Sleep quality was assessed using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory sleep subscale, which includes ratings of frequency, severity, and their product, with higher scores indicating poorer sleep quality. Baseline and follow-up demographics, sleep indices, plasma NFL levels, and cognition scores (including Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE], Montreal Cognitive Assessment [MoCA], Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale [ADAS13], Clinical Dementia Rating Scale-Sum of Boxes [CDRSB], Executive Function [EF], Language [LAN], and Memory [MEM]) were also collected. Multivariable linear regression examined the associations between baseline sleep quality, plasma NFL, and cognition, as well as the relationship between sleep quality and longitudinal cognitive decline, calculated using linear mixed-effects models. Mediation analysis evaluated the role of plasma NFL in the sleep-cognition association. Multiple testing significance was corrected using false discovery rate, with results presented as Q-values. Poor sleep quality scores were associated with elevated plasma NFL levels (β: 0.055 to 2.645, P < 0.05), poorer cognition (ADAS13, CDRSB, EF, LAN, MEM; β: -0.188 to 1.279, Q < 0.05), and accelerated longitudinal cognitive decline (MoCA; β: -0.005, Q < 0.05) in both models, with sensitivity analyses supporting these findings. Furthermore, plasma NFL levels partially mediated the relationship between sleep quality and both baseline cognition (ADAS13, CDRSB, LAN, MEM; P < 0.05) and longitudinal cognitive decline (MoCA; P < 0.05), with mediation proportions ranging from 9.2% to 26.7%. Poorer sleep quality was associated with cognitive impairment and accelerated cognitive decline, suggesting its potential role in Alzheimer's disease. These associations may be partially mediated by neuroaxonal injury.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Guo, H.-H., Liang, D.-X., Zhang, Q., Fu, Y., Huang, L.-Y., Sheng, Z.-H., et al. (2025). Associations between sleep quality, plasma neurofilament light, and cognition in older adults without dementia. Translational Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-025-03389-1
Vancouver
Guo H.-H, Liang D.-X, Zhang Q, Fu Y, Huang L.-Y, Sheng Z.-H, et al. Associations between sleep quality, plasma neurofilament light, and cognition in older adults without dementia. Translational Psychiatry. 2025. doi:10.1038/s41398-025-03389-1. PMID: 40379641.
BibTeX
@article{guo2025-40379641,
author = {Guo, Hai-Hua and Liang, Dong-Xin and Zhang, Qun and Fu, Yan and Huang, Liang-Yu and Sheng, Ze-Hu and Tan, Lan and Wang, Zuo-Teng},
title = {{Associations between sleep quality, plasma neurofilament light, and cognition in older adults without dementia}},
journal = {Translational Psychiatry},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1038/s41398-025-03389-1},
pmid = {40379641},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-025-03389-1}
}
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.
Key findings
- Multiple testing significance was corrected using false discovery rate, with results presented as Q-values.
- Poor sleep quality scores were associated with elevated plasma NFL levels (β: 0.055 to 2.645, P < 0.05), poorer cognition (ADAS13, CDRSB, EF, LAN, MEM; β: -0.188 to 1.279, Q < 0.05), and accelerated longitudinal cognitive decline (MoCA; β: -0.005, Q < 0.05) in both models, with sensitivity analyses supporting these findings.
- Poorer sleep quality was associated with cognitive impairment and accelerated cognitive decline, suggesting its potential role in Alzheimer's disease.
Why it matters
In older adults without dementia, poorer sleep quality was associated with higher plasma neurofilament light levels, poorer cognition, and faster cognitive decline. This is an observational study of associations, so it cannot show whether improving sleep would prevent or treat Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Study designlongitudinal study
- Participants640
- Effect size9.2% to 26.7%
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 54/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a longitudinal study following the same people over time. Scored zero for randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Translational Psychiatry) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Translational Psychiatry: journal h-index 180 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A longitudinal study following the same 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 | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 640 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 | 2 / 7 | Cited 7 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.4× 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 7 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Zuo-Teng Wang: h-index 19 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Qingdao University: institution h-index 430 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 7 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40379641) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 54 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1038/s41398-025-03389-1
- PubMed: 40379641
- Original source →
- Free full text: Translational Psychiatry →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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