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Cerebrospinal fluid YKL‐40 relates to white matter hyperintensity progression in females but not males over a 6‐year period
Amalia Jo Peterson, Yunyi Sun, Derek B. Archer, Hailey A. Kresge, Elizabeth E. Moore, Isabella Deberghes, Kimberly R. Pechman, Niranjana Shashikumar et al.. Alzheimer s & Dementia Diagnosis Assessment & Disease Monitoring, 2025-04-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
= 0.71) longitudinally. YKL-40 associations with FW and FW-corrected fractional anisotropy were null. Results suggest that neuroinflammation is a sex-specific driver of WMHs (but not FW) in females. Differential sequelae of neuroinflammation may be one reason that females have a greater burden of WMHs. Highlights: ·Cerebrospinal fluid YKL-40 is associated with white matter hyperintensities in females but not males cross-sectionally and longitudinally.·Longitudinally, cerebrospinal fluid YKL-40 is associated with white matter hyperintensities in the parietal and temporal lobes, regions that exhibit early pathological changes in Alzheimer's disease .·Cerebrospinal fluid YKL-40 is not associated with white matter microstructural measures.
Key findings
- YKL-40 associations with FW and FW-corrected fractional anisotropy were null.
- Results suggest that neuroinflammation is a sex-specific driver of WMHs (but not FW) in females.
- Differential sequelae of neuroinflammation may be one reason that females have a greater burden of WMHs.
- Highlights: ·Cerebrospinal fluid YKL-40 is associated with white matter hyperintensities in females but not males cross-sectionally and longitudinally.·Longitudinally, cerebrospinal fluid YKL-40 is associated with white matter hyperintensities in the parietal and temporal lobes, regions that exhibit early pathological changes in Alzheimer's disease .·Cerebrospinal fluid YKL-40 is not associated with white matter microstructural measures.
Why it matters
In this study, cerebrospinal fluid YKL-40 was associated with white matter hyperintensities in females but not males, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally, and was not associated with white matter microstructural measures. The authors suggest neuroinflammation may be a sex-specific driver of white matter hyperintensities in females, but the study does not test any treatment, cure, or prevention.
Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 43/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Alzheimer s & Dementia Diagnosis Assessment & Disease Monitoring) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Alzheimer s & Dementia Diagnosis Assessment & Disease Monitoring: journal h-index 86 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in 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 | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 2 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.1× 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 2 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Angela Lee Jefferson: h-index 60 (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 40352684) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 43 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1002/dad2.70110
- PubMed: 40352684
- Original source →
- Free full text: Alzheimer s & Dementia Diagnosis Assessment & Disease Monitoring →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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
Peterson, A. J., Sun, Y., Archer, D. B., Kresge, H. A., Moore, E. E., Deberghes, I., et al. (2025). Cerebrospinal fluid YKL‐40 relates to white matter hyperintensity progression in females but not males over a 6‐year period. Alzheimer s & Dementia Diagnosis Assessment & Disease Monitoring. https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.70110
Vancouver
Peterson AJ, Sun Y, Archer DB, Kresge HA, Moore EE, Deberghes I, et al. Cerebrospinal fluid YKL‐40 relates to white matter hyperintensity progression in females but not males over a 6‐year period. Alzheimer s & Dementia Diagnosis Assessment & Disease Monitoring. 2025. doi:10.1002/dad2.70110. PMID: 40352684.
BibTeX
@article{peterson2025-40352684,
author = {Peterson, Amalia Jo and Sun, Yunyi and Archer, Derek B. and Kresge, Hailey A. and Moore, Elizabeth E. and Deberghes, Isabella and Pechman, Kimberly R. and Shashikumar, Niranjana and others},
title = {{Cerebrospinal fluid YKL‐40 relates to white matter hyperintensity progression in females but not males over a 6‐year period}},
journal = {Alzheimer s \& Dementia Diagnosis Assessment \& Disease Monitoring},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1002/dad2.70110},
pmid = {40352684},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.70110}
}
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