Home › Research › Biomarkers
CSF biomarkers in Olmsted County: Evidence of 2 subclasses and associations with demographics
Van Harten AC, Wiste HJ, Weigand SD, Mielke MM, Kremers WK, Eichenlaub U, Batrla-Utermann R, Dyer RB et al.. Neurology, 2020-06-26
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Objective We studied interrelationships between CSF biomarkers and associations with APOE ε4 genotype, demographic variables, vascular variables, and clinical diagnosis in Olmsted County, Minnesota. Methods We included 774 Mayo Clinic Study of Aging participants (693 cognitively unimpaired [CU]; 71 with mild cognitive impairment [MCI]). CSF β-amyloid 42 (Aβ42), total tau (t-tau), and hyperphosphorylated tau (p-tau) were analyzed using Aβ42 CSF, t-tau CSF, and p-tau (181P) CSF electrochemiluminescence immunoassays. Bivariate mixture models were used to evaluate latent classes. We used linear regression models to evaluate independent associations of APOE ε4, demographic factors, cardiovascular risk, and diagnosis with CSF biomarker levels. Results were weighted back to the Olmsted County population. Results Interrelationships between CSF Aβ42 and p-tau/t-tau were consistent with 2 latent classes in the general population. In subgroup 1 (n = 547 [71%]), we found a strong positive correlation between Aβ42 and p-tau (ρ = 0.81), while the correlation was much smaller in group 2 (ρ = 0.26, n = 227 [29%]). Group 2 was associated with older age, APOE ε4 genotype, a diagnosis of MCI, and elevated amyloid PET. Overall, APOE ε4 genotype and MCI were associated with Aβ42, while age was associated with p-tau/t-tau. There were no associations with sex, education, or vascular risk. Conclusion We hypothesize the population without dementia can be subdivided into participants with and without biological Alzheimer disease (AD) based on the combination of CSF Aβ42 and p-tau/t-tau (represented also by the p-tau/t-tau/Aβ42 ratio). In those without biological AD, common factors such as CSF dynamics may cause a positive correlation between CSF Aβ42 and p-tau/t-tau, while AD leads to dissociation of these proteins.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Van Harten, A. C., Wiste, H. J., Weigand, S. D., Mielke, M. M., Kremers, W. K., Eichenlaub, U., et al. (2020). CSF biomarkers in Olmsted County: Evidence of 2 subclasses and associations with demographics. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000009874
Vancouver
Van Harten AC, Wiste HJ, Weigand SD, Mielke MM, Kremers WK, Eichenlaub U, et al. CSF biomarkers in Olmsted County: Evidence of 2 subclasses and associations with demographics. Neurology. 2020. doi:10.1212/wnl.0000000000009874. PMID: 32591471.
BibTeX
@article{vanharten2020-32591471,
author = {Van Harten, A. C. and Wiste, H. J. and Weigand, S. D. and Mielke, M. M. and Kremers, W. K. and Eichenlaub, U. and Batrla-Utermann, R. and Dyer, R. B. and others},
title = {{CSF biomarkers in Olmsted County: Evidence of 2 subclasses and associations with demographics}},
journal = {Neurology},
year = {2020},
doi = {10.1212/wnl.0000000000009874},
pmid = {32591471},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000009874}
}
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
- Results were weighted back to the Olmsted County population.
- Results Interrelationships between CSF Aβ42 and p-tau/t-tau were consistent with 2 latent classes in the general population.
- In subgroup 1 (n = 547 [71%]), we found a strong positive correlation between Aβ42 and p-tau (ρ = 0.81), while the correlation was much smaller in group 2 (ρ = 0.26, n = 227 [29%]).
- Group 2 was associated with older age, APOE ε4 genotype, a diagnosis of MCI, and elevated amyloid PET.
- Overall, APOE ε4 genotype and MCI were associated with Aβ42, while age was associated with p-tau/t-tau.
Why it matters
In 774 participants, relationships between cerebrospinal fluid amyloid and tau markers fell into two subgroups, with one subgroup linked to older age, APOE ε4, mild cognitive impairment and elevated amyloid PET. This is an observational biomarker study and does not test any treatment, cure or prevention.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Blood tests & biomarkers →
Study details
- Participants547
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 47/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Neurology: journal h-index 525 (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 | 2 / 5 | 2020 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 547 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) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 3 / 7 | Cited 20 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.5 citations a year over 8 year(s) since 2020 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 2.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 2 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 2 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Ronald Carl Petersen: h-index 209 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Mayo Clinic: institution h-index 1,606 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 3 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 32591471) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 47 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000009874
- PubMed: 32591471
- Original source →
- Free full text: PubMed Central →
Full text: free to read — PubMed Central lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 10 Oct 2026).
Related
Studies in the library that share something with this one. The line above each title says what.
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here. Showing 12 of 19.
Later studies that cite this one
2 studies in the alzhub library list this one in their references.
Related studies in Biomarkers
Also tagged “cerebrospinal”
821 studies in the library carry the topic tag “cerebrospinal”; these are this study's neighbours in a fixed, alphabetical-by-hash tour of them, not the closest in content. All 821 tagged studies.