Home › Research › Brain scans and imaging
Baseline CSF p-tau levels independently predict progression of hippocampal atrophy in Alzheimer disease
Henneman WJ, Vrenken H, Barnes J, Sluimer IC, Verwey NA, Blankenstein MA, Klein M, Fox NC et al.. Neurology, 2009-09-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Objective To investigate whether baseline CSF biomarkers are associated with hippocampal atrophy rate as a measure of disease progression in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD), patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and controls, controlling for baseline neuropsychological and MRI findings. Methods We assessed data from 31 patients with AD, 25 patients with MCI, and 19 controls (mean age 68 +/- 8 years; 39 [52%] female) who visited our memory clinic and had received serial MRI scanning (scan interval 1.7 +/- 0.7 years). At baseline, CSF biomarkers (amyloid beta 1-42, tau, and tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 [p-tau]) were obtained, as well as neuropsychological data. Baseline MRI scans were assessed using visual rating scales for medial temporal lobe atrophy (MTA), global cortical atrophy, and white matter hyperintensities. Hippocampal atrophy rates were estimated using regional nonlinear "fluid" registration of follow-up scan to baseline scan. Results Stepwise multiple linear regression, adjusted for age and sex, showed that increased CSF p-tau levels (beta [standard error]: -0.79 [0.35]) at baseline was independently associated with higher subsequent hippocampal atrophy rates (p Conclusions Baseline CSF levels of tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 are independently associated with subsequent disease progression, as reflected by hippocampal atrophy rate. This effect is independent of baseline neuropsychological and MRI predictors. Our results imply that predicting disease progression can best be achieved by combining information from different modalities.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Henneman, W. J., Vrenken, H., Barnes, J., Sluimer, I. C., Verwey, N. A., Blankenstein, M. A., et al. (2009). Baseline CSF p-tau levels independently predict progression of hippocampal atrophy in Alzheimer disease. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0b013e3181b879ac
Vancouver
Henneman WJ, Vrenken H, Barnes J, Sluimer IC, Verwey NA, Blankenstein MA, et al. Baseline CSF p-tau levels independently predict progression of hippocampal atrophy in Alzheimer disease. Neurology. 2009. doi:10.1212/wnl.0b013e3181b879ac. PMID: 19770469.
BibTeX
@article{henneman2009-19770469,
author = {Henneman, W. J. and Vrenken, H. and Barnes, J. and Sluimer, I. C. and Verwey, N. A. and Blankenstein, M. A. and Klein, M. and Fox, N. C. and others},
title = {{Baseline CSF p-tau levels independently predict progression of hippocampal atrophy in Alzheimer disease}},
journal = {Neurology},
year = {2009},
doi = {10.1212/wnl.0b013e3181b879ac},
pmid = {19770469},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0b013e3181b879ac}
}
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.
Key findings
- Objective To investigate whether baseline CSF biomarkers are associated with hippocampal atrophy rate as a measure of disease progression in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD), patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and controls, controlling for baseline neuropsychological and MRI findings.
- Results Stepwise multiple linear regression, adjusted for age and sex, showed that increased CSF p-tau levels (beta [standard error]: -0.79 [0.35]) at baseline was independently associated with higher subsequent hippocampal atrophy rates (p < 0.05), together with poorer memory performance (0.09 [0.04]) and more severe MTA (-0.60 [0.21]).
- Our results imply that predicting disease progression can best be achieved by combining information from different modalities.
Why it matters
In this small study of 75 people, higher baseline CSF p-tau levels independently predicted faster hippocampal atrophy over time. This is a marker of disease progression, not a treatment, cure or prevention for Alzheimer's disease.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Brain scans & tests →
Study details
- Participants31
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 50/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, 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 | 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 | 1 / 4 | 31 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 76 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 4.0 citations a year over 19 year(s) since 2009 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 8 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 6 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Wiesje M. van der Flier: h-index 132 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University College London: institution h-index 2,029 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 19770469) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 50 / 100 | — |
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).
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here. Showing 12 of 17.
Later studies that cite this one
8 studies in the alzhub library list this one in their references.
Related studies in Brain scans and imaging
Also tagged “phosphorylated”
732 studies in the library carry the topic tag “phosphorylated”; these are this study's neighbours in a fixed, alphabetical-by-hash tour of them, not the closest in content. All 732 tagged studies.