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Clearance systems in the brain-implications for Alzheimer disease
Tarasoff-Conway JM, Carare RO, Osorio RS, Glodzik L, Butler T, Fieremans E, Axel L, Rusinek H et al.. Nature reviews. Neurology, 2015-07-21
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Accumulation of toxic protein aggregates-amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and hyperphosphorylated tau tangles-is the pathological hallmark of Alzheimer disease (AD). Aβ accumulation has been hypothesized to result from an imbalance between Aβ production and clearance; indeed, Aβ clearance seems to be impaired in both early and late forms of AD. To develop efficient strategies to slow down or halt AD, it is critical to understand how Aβ is cleared from the brain.
Key findings
- Aβ accumulation has been hypothesized to result from an imbalance between Aβ production and clearance; indeed, Aβ clearance seems to be impaired in both early and late forms of AD.
- To develop efficient strategies to slow down or halt AD, it is critical to understand how Aβ is cleared from the brain.
- Extracellular Aβ deposits can be removed from the brain by various clearance systems, most importantly, transport across the blood-brain barrier.
- Findings from the past few years suggest that astroglial-mediated interstitial fluid (ISF) bulk flow, known as the glymphatic system, might contribute to a larger portion of extracellular Aβ (eAβ) clearance than previously thought.
Why it matters
This 2015 review sets out the idea that amyloid-β builds up in Alzheimer's because the brain makes more than it clears, and says clearance "seems to be impaired in both early and late forms of AD." It names transport across the blood-brain barrier as the most important exit route, and notes that the glymphatic system, a fluid flow through brain tissue driven by support cells called astrocytes, "might contribute to a larger portion" of clearance than once thought. It summarises others' work rather than adding new data, and it tests no treatment.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 56/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, 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 (Nature reviews. Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Nature Reviews Neurology: journal h-index 269 (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 | 2015 — within 20 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 | 7 / 7 | Cited 1,675 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 5 / 5 | 128.8 citations a year over 13 year(s) since 2015 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 13.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 4 / 6 | Cited by 51 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 4 / 4 | Cited 527 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Mony J. de Leon: h-index 127 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | New York University: institution h-index 1,612 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 7 institution(s) in 4 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 26195256) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 56 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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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
Tarasoff-Conway, J. M., Carare, R. O., Osorio, R. S., Glodzik, L., Butler, T., Fieremans, E., et al. (2015). Clearance systems in the brain-implications for Alzheimer disease. Nature reviews. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2015.119
Vancouver
Tarasoff-Conway JM, Carare RO, Osorio RS, Glodzik L, Butler T, Fieremans E, et al. Clearance systems in the brain-implications for Alzheimer disease. Nature reviews. Neurology. 2015. doi:10.1038/nrneurol.2015.119. PMID: 26195256.
BibTeX
@article{tarasoffconway2015-26195256,
author = {Tarasoff-Conway, J. M. and Carare, R. O. and Osorio, R. S. and Glodzik, L. and Butler, T. and Fieremans, E. and Axel, L. and Rusinek, H. and others},
title = {{Clearance systems in the brain-implications for Alzheimer disease}},
journal = {Nature reviews. Neurology},
year = {2015},
doi = {10.1038/nrneurol.2015.119},
pmid = {26195256},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2015.119}
}
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