Cell-weighted polygenic risk scores are associated with β-amyloid and tau biomarkers in Alzheimer’s disease
Atul Kumar, Alexa Pichet Binette, Divya Bali, Shorena Janelidze, Erik Stomrud, Sebastian Palmqvist, Jacob W. Vogel, Oskar Hansson et al.. Brain Communications, 2025-01-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
We observed differential cellular effects on β-amyloid, pTau217 and cognitive measures. The microglial-polygenic risk scores showed more significant effects on pTau217 than on β-amyloid. β-Amyloid positivity partly mediated the associations between polygenic risk scores and pTau217, with the lowest mediation effect observed for the microglial-polygenic risk scores (on average 33%). These findings inform further studies that address specific cell types for various aspects of Alzheimer’s disease, including the development of novel treatment strategies.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Kumar, A., Binette, A. P., Bali, D., Janelidze, S., Stomrud, E., Palmqvist, S., et al. (2025). Cell-weighted polygenic risk scores are associated with β-amyloid and tau biomarkers in Alzheimer’s disease. Brain Communications. https://doi.org/10.1093/braincomms/fcaf353
Vancouver
Kumar A, Binette AP, Bali D, Janelidze S, Stomrud E, Palmqvist S, et al. Cell-weighted polygenic risk scores are associated with β-amyloid and tau biomarkers in Alzheimer’s disease. Brain Communications. 2025. doi:10.1093/braincomms/fcaf353. PMID: 41040848.
BibTeX
@article{kumar2025-41040848,
author = {Kumar, Atul and Binette, Alexa Pichet and Bali, Divya and Janelidze, Shorena and Stomrud, Erik and Palmqvist, Sebastian and Vogel, Jacob W. and Hansson, Oskar and others},
title = {{Cell-weighted polygenic risk scores are associated with β-amyloid and tau biomarkers in Alzheimer’s disease}},
journal = {Brain Communications},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1093/braincomms/fcaf353},
pmid = {41040848},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/braincomms/fcaf353}
}
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Key findings
- We observed differential cellular effects on β-amyloid, pTau217 and cognitive measures.
- The microglial-polygenic risk scores showed more significant effects on pTau217 than on β-amyloid. β-Amyloid positivity partly mediated the associations between polygenic risk scores and pTau217, with the lowest mediation effect observed for the microglial-polygenic risk scores (on average 33%).
- These findings inform further studies that address specific cell types for various aspects of Alzheimer’s disease, including the development of novel treatment strategies.
Why it matters
This study found that polygenic risk scores weighted toward different cell types had different effects on β-amyloid and tau biomarkers, with microglial scores showing stronger effects on tau. It suggests that future research should address specific cell types for different aspects of Alzheimer disease, but no treatment is tested.
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Study details
- Participants734
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 41/100
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 (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 | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 734 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 | 0 / 7 | Cited 0 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.0 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 0 / 6 | Cited 0.0× 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 | 0 / 4 | Cited 0 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Niklas Mattsson: h-index 109 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Lund University: institution h-index 1,119 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41040848) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 41 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcaf353
- PubMed: 41040848
- Original source →
- Free full text: Brain Communications →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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