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CSF markers of neuroinflammation, synaptic dysfunction and [18F]DOPA-PET in Parkinson's disease
Kevin Oliveira Hauer, Sara Hall, Adjmal Nahimi, Olof T. Strandberg, Tomas G. Ohlsson, Jonas Jögi, Erik Stomrud, Shorena Janelidze et al.. Parkinsonism & Related Disorders, 2025-08-21
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Introduction Neuromelanin containing cell loss, neuroinflammation and synaptic dysfunction are believed to contribute to Parkinson's disease (PD) pathogenesis. [ 18 F]DOPA PET reflects dopamine storage capacity in the putamen, while midbrain off-target retention of [ 18 F]RO948 is hypothesized to reflect neuromelanin. Objectives To investigate associations between disease duration, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) markers of neurodegeneration, synaptic dysfunction, neuroinflammation, and dopamine synaptic loss as measured by [ 18 F]DOPA PET in PD patients. We further aimed to explore whether reduced midbrain retention of [ 18 F]RO948 relates to [ 18 F]DOPA PET and CSF markers. Methods Participants were part of the BioFINDER studies. CSF biomarkers were analyzed for controls (n=623), PD participants (n=226) and Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB; n=33). [ 18 F]RO948 PET was performed in controls (n=514), PD (n=77) and DLB (n=47) and [ 18 F]DOPA PET in PD (n=58) and DLB (n=22). Results PD patients showed higher CSF neurofilament light (NfL) levels (pg/ml [mean±SD] 159±139) vs. controls (137±90, p<0.001), and lower neurogranin (pg/ml [mean±SD] 620±255) vs (772±283, p<0.001). Lower [ 18 F]DOPA uptake correlated with longer disease duration (ρ=-0.46, p<0.001), higher NfL (ρ=-0.39, p=0.03), lower neurogranin (ρ= 0.50, p=0.003) and NPTX2 levels (ρ= 0.36, p=0.049). We found no associations between neuroinflammatory markers and [ 18 F]DOPA PET. Substantia nigra [ 18 F]RO948 signal was lower in PD ([mean±SD] 1.67±0.22) vs controls (1.76±0.3, p<0.001) but did not correlate with disease duration, CSF markers or [ 18 F]DOPA-PET. Conclusions In PD patients, a decrease in [ 18 F]DOPA PET retention correlated with disease duration as well as CSF neurodegenerative and synaptic biomarkers but not with inflammatory biomarkers or [ 18 F]RO948 PET midbrain off-target retention.
Key findings
- Results PD patients showed higher CSF neurofilament light (NfL) levels (pg/ml [mean±SD] 159±139) vs. controls (137±90, p<0.001), and lower neurogranin (pg/ml [mean±SD] 620±255) vs (772±283, p<0.001).
- We found no associations between neuroinflammatory markers and [ 18 F]DOPA PET.
Why it matters
In Parkinson's disease patients, lower dopamine uptake on PET correlated with longer disease duration and certain CSF markers, but there were no associations between neuroinflammatory markers and dopamine PET. This study is about Parkinson's disease, not Alzheimer's, and it reports no significant link for neuroinflammation.
Study details
- Participants623
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 43/100
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 (Parkinsonism & Related Disorders) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Parkinsonism & Related Disorders: journal h-index 155 (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 | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 623 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 | 1 / 7 | Cited 3 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.0 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.7× 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 | 1 / 4 | Cited 3 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Ruben A Smith: h-index 63 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Lund University: institution h-index 1,119 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40885039) |
| 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: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2025.108005
- PubMed: 40885039
- Original source →
- Free full text: Parkinsonism & Related Disorders →
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
Hauer, K. O., Hall, S., Nahimi, A., Strandberg, O. T., Ohlsson, T. G., Jögi, J., et al. (2025). CSF markers of neuroinflammation, synaptic dysfunction and [18F]DOPA-PET in Parkinson's disease. Parkinsonism & Related Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.parkreldis.2025.108005
Vancouver
Hauer KO, Hall S, Nahimi A, Strandberg OT, Ohlsson TG, Jögi J, et al. CSF markers of neuroinflammation, synaptic dysfunction and [18F]DOPA-PET in Parkinson's disease. Parkinsonism & Related Disorders. 2025. doi:10.1016/j.parkreldis.2025.108005. PMID: 40885039.
BibTeX
@article{hauer2025-40885039,
author = {Hauer, Kevin Oliveira and Hall, Sara and Nahimi, Adjmal and Strandberg, Olof T. and Ohlsson, Tomas G. and Jögi, Jonas and Stomrud, Erik and Janelidze, Shorena and others},
title = {{CSF markers of neuroinflammation, synaptic dysfunction and [18F]DOPA-PET in Parkinson's disease}},
journal = {Parkinsonism \& Related Disorders},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1016/j.parkreldis.2025.108005},
pmid = {40885039},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.parkreldis.2025.108005}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.