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Cerebrospinal Fluid Amyloid Beta and Tau Concentrations Are Not Modulated by 16 Weeks of Moderate- to High-Intensity Physical Exercise in Patients with Alzheimer Disease
Steen Jensen C, Portelius E, Siersma V, Høgh P, Wermuth L, Blennow K, Zetterberg H, Waldemar G et al.. Dementia and geriatric cognitive disorders, 2016-09-20
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Background Physical exercise may have some effect on cognition in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD). However, the underlying biochemical effects are unclear. Animal studies have shown that amyloid beta (Aβ), one of the pathological hallmarks of AD, can be altered with high levels of physical activity.
Key findings
- However, the underlying biochemical effects are unclear.
- Animal studies have shown that amyloid beta (Aβ), one of the pathological hallmarks of AD, can be altered with high levels of physical activity.
- Aim The objective of this study was to elucidate the effect of 16 weeks of moderate- to high-intensity physical exercise on the biomarkers of AD, with special emphasis on the amyloidogenic pathway.
- Methods From a total of 53 patients with AD participating in the Preserving Cognition, Quality of Life, Physical Health and Functional Ability in Alzheimer's Disease: The Effect of Physical Exercise (ADEX) study we analyzed cerebrospinal fluid samples for Aβ species, total tau (t-tau), phosphorylated tau (p-tau) and soluble amyloid precursor protein (sAPP) species.
Why it matters
This study found that 16 weeks of moderate- to high-intensity physical exercise did not change cerebrospinal fluid amyloid beta or tau concentrations in patients with Alzheimer's disease. It plainly shows no effect of exercise on these biomarkers and does not demonstrate that exercise treats or prevents the disease.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Blood tests & biomarkers →
Study details
- Participants53
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 45/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Dementia and geriatric cognitive disorders) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders: journal h-index 149 (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 | 2016 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 53 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 57 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 4.8 citations a year over 12 year(s) since 2016 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.2× 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 | 2 / 4 | Cited 19 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Anja Hviid Simonsen: h-index 35 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University College London: institution h-index 2,029 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 9 institution(s) in 3 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 27643858) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 45 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 6 Feb 1020), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
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.
APA 7th
Steen Jensen, C., Portelius, E., Siersma, V., Høgh, P., Wermuth, L., Blennow, K., et al. (2016). Cerebrospinal Fluid Amyloid Beta and Tau Concentrations Are Not Modulated by 16 Weeks of Moderate- to High-Intensity Physical Exercise in Patients with Alzheimer Disease. Dementia and geriatric cognitive disorders. https://doi.org/10.1159/000449408
Vancouver
Steen Jensen C, Portelius E, Siersma V, Høgh P, Wermuth L, Blennow K, et al. Cerebrospinal Fluid Amyloid Beta and Tau Concentrations Are Not Modulated by 16 Weeks of Moderate- to High-Intensity Physical Exercise in Patients with Alzheimer Disease. Dementia and geriatric cognitive disorders. 2016. doi:10.1159/000449408. PMID: 27643858.
BibTeX
@article{steenjensen2016-27643858,
author = {Steen Jensen, C. and Portelius, E. and Siersma, V. and Høgh, P. and Wermuth, L. and Blennow, K. and Zetterberg, H. and Waldemar, G. and others},
title = {{Cerebrospinal Fluid Amyloid Beta and Tau Concentrations Are Not Modulated by 16 Weeks of Moderate- to High-Intensity Physical Exercise in Patients with Alzheimer Disease}},
journal = {Dementia and geriatric cognitive disorders},
year = {2016},
doi = {10.1159/000449408},
pmid = {27643858},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1159/000449408}
}
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