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CSF tau protein phosphorylated at threonine 231 correlates with cognitive decline in MCI subjects
Buerger K, Teipel SJ, Zinkowski R, Blennow K, Arai H, Engel R, Hofmann-Kiefer K, McCulloch C et al.. Neurology, 2002-08-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
In this longitudinal study of 77 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), the authors analyzed whether levels of tau protein phosphorylated at threonine 231 (p-tau(231)) in CSF correlate with progression of cognitive decline. High CSF p-tau(231) levels at baseline, but not total tau protein levels, correlated with cognitive decline and conversion from MCI to AD. Independently, old age and APOE-epsilon 4 carrier status were predictive as well. Our data indicate that an increased p-tau(231) level is a potential risk factor for cognitive decline in patients with MCI.
Key findings
- Our data indicate that an increased p-tau(231) level is a potential risk factor for cognitive decline in patients with MCI.
Why it matters
In this longitudinal study of 77 patients with mild cognitive impairment, high levels of CSF p-tau(231) at baseline correlated with cognitive decline and conversion to Alzheimer's disease, while total tau protein levels did not. The authors conclude that an increased p-tau(231) level is a potential risk factor for cognitive decline in patients with mild cognitive impairment.
Study details
- Study designlongitudinal study
- Participants77
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 61/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a longitudinal study following the same people over time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / 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 | 7 / 12 | A longitudinal study following the same people over 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 | 1 / 5 | 2002 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 77 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 | 5 / 7 | Cited 255 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 9.8 citations a year over 26 year(s) since 2002 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 11.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 29 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 10 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Harald Juergen Hampel: h-index 136 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München: institution h-index 1,224 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 12196665) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 61 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 6 Feb 1020), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
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
Buerger, K., Teipel, S. J., Zinkowski, R., Blennow, K., Arai, H., Engel, R., et al. (2002). CSF tau protein phosphorylated at threonine 231 correlates with cognitive decline in MCI subjects. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.59.4.627
Vancouver
Buerger K, Teipel SJ, Zinkowski R, Blennow K, Arai H, Engel R, et al. CSF tau protein phosphorylated at threonine 231 correlates with cognitive decline in MCI subjects. Neurology. 2002. doi:10.1212/wnl.59.4.627. PMID: 12196665.
BibTeX
@article{buerger2002-12196665,
author = {Buerger, K. and Teipel, S. J. and Zinkowski, R. and Blennow, K. and Arai, H. and Engel, R. and Hofmann-Kiefer, K. and McCulloch, C. and others},
title = {{CSF tau protein phosphorylated at threonine 231 correlates with cognitive decline in MCI subjects}},
journal = {Neurology},
year = {2002},
doi = {10.1212/wnl.59.4.627},
pmid = {12196665},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.59.4.627}
}
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