Home › Research › Brain tissue and pathology
Correlation of Alzheimer Disease Neuropathologic Changes With Cognitive Status: A Review of the Literature
Peter T. Nelson, Irina I. Alafuzoff, Eileen H. Bigio, Constantin Bouras, Heiko Braak, Nigel J. Cairns, Rudolph J. Castellani, Barbara J. Crain et al.. Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology, 2012-04-06
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Clinicopathologic correlation studies are critically important for the field of Alzheimer disease (AD) research. Studies on human subjects with autopsy confirmation entail numerous potential biases that affect both their general applicability and the validity of the correlations. Many sources of data variability can weaken the apparent correlation between cognitive status and AD neuropathologic changes. Indeed, most persons in advanced old age have significant non-AD brain lesions that may alter cognition independently of AD. Worldwide research efforts have evaluated thousands of human subjects to assess the causes of cognitive impairment in the elderly, and these studies have been interpreted in different ways. We review the literature focusing on the correlation of AD neuropathologic changes (i.e. β-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles) with cognitive impairment. We discuss the various patterns of brain changes that have been observed in elderly individuals to provide a perspective for understanding AD clinicopathologic correlation and conclude that evidence from many independent research centers strongly supports the existence of a specific disease, as defined by the presence of Aβ plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Although Aβ plaques may play a key role in AD pathogenesis, the severity of cognitive impairment correlates best with the burden of neocortical neurofibrillary tangles.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Nelson, P. T., Alafuzoff, I. I., Bigio, E. H., Bouras, C., Braak, H., Cairns, N. J., et al. (2012). Correlation of Alzheimer Disease Neuropathologic Changes With Cognitive Status: A Review of the Literature. Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1097/nen.0b013e31825018f7
Vancouver
Nelson PT, Alafuzoff II, Bigio EH, Bouras C, Braak H, Cairns NJ, et al. Correlation of Alzheimer Disease Neuropathologic Changes With Cognitive Status: A Review of the Literature. Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology. 2012. doi:10.1097/nen.0b013e31825018f7. PMID: 22487856.
BibTeX
@article{nelson2012-22487856,
author = {Nelson, Peter T. and Alafuzoff, Irina I. and Bigio, Eileen H. and Bouras, Constantin and Braak, Heiko and Cairns, Nigel J. and Castellani, Rudolph J. and Crain, Barbara J. and others},
title = {{Correlation of Alzheimer Disease Neuropathologic Changes With Cognitive Status: A Review of the Literature}},
journal = {Journal of Neuropathology \& Experimental Neurology},
year = {2012},
doi = {10.1097/nen.0b013e31825018f7},
pmid = {22487856},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1097/nen.0b013e31825018f7}
}
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
- Indeed, most persons in advanced old age have significant non-AD brain lesions that may alter cognition independently of AD.
- We discuss the various patterns of brain changes that have been observed in elderly individuals to provide a perspective for understanding AD clinicopathologic correlation and conclude that evidence from many independent research centers strongly supports the existence of a specific disease, as defined by the presence of Aβ plaques and neurofibrillary tangles.
Why it matters
This review of the literature concludes that evidence supports the existence of a specific disease defined by the presence of Aβ plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. It notes that the severity of cognitive impairment correlates best with the burden of neocortical neurofibrillary tangles.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 62/100
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 (Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology: journal h-index 239 (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 | 2012 — 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 2,058 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 5 / 5 | 128.6 citations a year over 16 year(s) since 2012 |
| Impact for its field and year | 6 / 6 | Cited 58.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 5 / 6 | Cited by 138 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 4 / 4 | Cited 434 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Thomas G. Beach: h-index 132 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | University of Washington: institution h-index 3,540 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 35 institution(s) in 8 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 22487856) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 62 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1097/nen.0b013e31825018f7
- PubMed: 22487856
- Original source →
- Free full text: Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here. Showing 12 of 90.
Later studies that cite this one
138 studies in the alzhub library list this one in their references. Showing the 8 highest-scoring.
Related studies in Brain tissue and pathology
Also in Brain tissue and pathology
124 studies in the library are filed under Brain tissue and pathology with no topic tag they share with another; these are this study's neighbours in a fixed tour of them. The Brain tissue and pathology hub.