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Brain alterations in the early Alzheimer's continuum with amyloid-β, tau, glial and neurodegeneration CSF markers
Salvadó G, Shekari M, Falcon C, Operto G, Milà-Alomà M, Sánchez-Benavides G, Cacciaglia R, Arenaza-Urquijo E et al.. Brain communications, 2022-05-24
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Plain-language summary
Higher grey matter volumes/cortical thickness and fluorodeoxyglucose uptake have been consistently found in cognitively unimpaired individuals with abnormal Alzheimer's disease biomarkers compared with those with normal biomarkers. It has been hypothesized that such transient increases may be associated with neuroinflammatory mechanisms triggered in response to early Alzheimer's pathology. Using the obtained components, we observed that tau pathology accompanied by YKL-40 (astrocytic marker) was associated with higher grey matter volumes and fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in extensive brain areas. Taken together, our results show that CSF amyloid-β and phosphorylated tau, in combination with different aspects of glial response, have distinctive associations with higher grey matter volumes and increased glucose metabolism in key Alzheimer-related regions.
What this study adds
Evidence grade: Moderate
The record lists 319 participants. The study found that tau pathology accompanied by the astrocytic marker YKL-40 was associated with higher grey matter volumes and fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in extensive brain areas, but this is an observational finding and does not establish a treatment, cure, or prevention.
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
Salvadó, G., Shekari, M., Falcon, C., Operto, G., Milà-Alomà, M., Sánchez-Benavides, G., et al. (2022). Brain alterations in the early Alzheimer's continuum with amyloid-β, tau, glial and neurodegeneration CSF markers. Brain communications. https://doi.org/10.1093/braincomms/fcac134
Vancouver
Salvadó G, Shekari M, Falcon C, Operto G, Milà-Alomà M, Sánchez-Benavides G, et al. Brain alterations in the early Alzheimer's continuum with amyloid-β, tau, glial and neurodegeneration CSF markers. Brain communications. 2022. doi:10.1093/braincomms/fcac134. PMID: 35702732.
BibTeX
@article{salvado2022-35702732,
author = {Salvadó, G. and Shekari, M. and Falcon, C. and Operto, G. and Milà-Alomà, M. and Sánchez-Benavides, G. and Cacciaglia, R. and Arenaza-Urquijo, E. and others},
title = {{Brain alterations in the early Alzheimer's continuum with amyloid-β, tau, glial and neurodegeneration CSF markers}},
journal = {Brain communications},
year = {2022},
doi = {10.1093/braincomms/fcac134},
pmid = {35702732},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/braincomms/fcac134}
}
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
- Higher grey matter volumes/cortical thickness and fluorodeoxyglucose uptake have been consistently found in cognitively unimpaired individuals with abnormal Alzheimer's disease biomarkers compared with those with normal biomarkers.
- It has been hypothesized that such transient increases may be associated with neuroinflammatory mechanisms triggered in response to early Alzheimer's pathology.
- Using the obtained components, we observed that tau pathology accompanied by YKL-40 (astrocytic marker) was associated with higher grey matter volumes and fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in extensive brain areas.
- Taken together, our results show that CSF amyloid-β and phosphorylated tau, in combination with different aspects of glial response, have distinctive associations with higher grey matter volumes and increased glucose metabolism in key Alzheimer-related regions.
Why it matters
In cognitively unimpaired individuals, higher grey matter volumes and cortical thickness and higher fluorodeoxyglucose uptake have been consistently found in those with abnormal Alzheimer's disease biomarkers compared with those with normal biomarkers, possibly linked to neuroinflammatory mechanisms. The study found that tau pathology accompanied by the astrocytic marker YKL-40 was associated with higher grey matter volumes and fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in extensive brain areas, but this is an observational finding and does not establish a treatment, cure, or prevention.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Blood tests & biomarkers →
Study details
- Participants319
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 53/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Brain communications) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Brain Communications: journal h-index 67 (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 | 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 | 3 / 5 | 2022 — within 6 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 319 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) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 44 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 7.3 citations a year over 6 year(s) since 2022 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 5.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 34 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Natàlia Vilor‐Tejedor: h-index 31 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University College London: institution h-index 2,029 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 17 institution(s) in 4 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 35702732) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 53 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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