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Dissociable structural and molecular pathways of age-related variability in sustained attention
Subbulakshmi S, Park J, Rathmann-Bloch J, Ward T, Cheng GL, Miller DS, Schwartz ST, Sheng J et al.. bioRxiv, 2026-07-03
Topic: Brain imaging, connectivity and assessment
Older age was associated with lower Att-Z (β = −0.315, p < 0.001). Plasma pTau-181 (β = −0.212, p FDR < 0.03), pTau-217 (β = −0.163, p FDR < 0.05), and NfL (β = −0.156, p FDR < 0.05) were negatively associated with Att-Z and each mediated effects of age on performance (pTau-181 indirect β unstandardised = −0.008, p boot < 0.01; pTau-217 indirect β unstandardised = −0.006, p boot < 0.05; NfL indirect β unstandardised = −0.011, p boot < 0.05), whereas GFAP showed no association with sustained attention in any model. SLF microstructure was negatively associated with age (FA β = −0.207, p < 0.01; MD β = +0.270, p < 0.001) but was not significantly associated with plasma biomarkers (all p > 0.10). In parallel mediation models, SLF microstructure and plasma pTau exhibited significant independent indirect effects on Att-Z (SLF FA indirect β unstandardised = −0.010, p boot < 0.01; SLF MD indirect β unstandardised = −0.009 to −0.010, p boot < 0.05; pTau-181 indirect β unstandardised = −0.008 to −0.009, p boot < 0.01; pTau-217 indirect β unstandardised = −0.006 to −0.007, p boot < 0.05). These findings reveal multiple pathways that contribute to individual differences in sustained attention in ageing that are detectable before clinical impairment, including SLF white matter integrity –– which is linked to the structural disconnection of the dorsal attention network –– and preclinical AD pathology.
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APA 7th
Subbulakshmi, S., Park, J., Rathmann-Bloch, J., Ward, T., Cheng, G. L., Miller, D. S., et al. (2026). Dissociable structural and molecular pathways of age-related variability in sustained attention. bioRxiv. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.06.29.735429
Vancouver
Subbulakshmi S, Park J, Rathmann-Bloch J, Ward T, Cheng GL, Miller DS, et al. Dissociable structural and molecular pathways of age-related variability in sustained attention. bioRxiv. 2026. doi:10.64898/2026.06.29.735429.
BibTeX
@article{subbulakshmi2026-11572edc,
author = {Subbulakshmi, S. and Park, J. and Rathmann-Bloch, J. and Ward, T. and Cheng, G. L. and Miller, D. S. and Schwartz, S. T. and Sheng, J. and others},
title = {{Dissociable structural and molecular pathways of age-related variability in sustained attention}},
journal = {bioRxiv},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.64898/2026.06.29.735429},
url = {https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.06.29.735429}
}
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Key findings
- Older age was associated with lower Att-Z (β = −0.315, p < 0.001).
- Plasma pTau-181 (β = −0.212, p FDR < 0.03), pTau-217 (β = −0.163, p FDR < 0.05), and NfL (β = −0.156, p FDR < 0.05) were negatively associated with Att-Z and each mediated effects of age on performance (pTau-181 indirect β unstandardised = −0.008, p boot < 0.01; pTau-217 indirect β unstandardised = −0.006, p boot < 0.05; NfL indirect β unstandardised = −0.011, p boot < 0.05), whereas GFAP showed no association with sustained attention in any model.
- SLF microstructure was negatively associated with age (FA β = −0.207, p < 0.01; MD β = +0.270, p < 0.001) but was not significantly associated with plasma biomarkers (all p > 0.10).
- In parallel mediation models, SLF microstructure and plasma pTau exhibited significant independent indirect effects on Att-Z (SLF FA indirect β unstandardised = −0.010, p boot < 0.01; SLF MD indirect β unstandardised = −0.009 to −0.010, p boot < 0.05; pTau-181 indirect β unstandardised = −0.008 to −0.009, p boot < 0.01; pTau-217 indirect β unstandardised = −0.006 to −0.007, p boot < 0.05).
- These findings reveal multiple pathways that contribute to individual differences in sustained attention in ageing that are detectable before clinical impairment, including SLF white matter integrity –– which is linked to the structural disconnection of the dorsal attention network –– and preclinical AD pathology.
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Study details
- Study designlongitudinal study
- Participants146
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 16/100
Preprint — not yet peer-reviewed. It scored 44 on the same rubric, but non-peer-reviewed sources are capped at 16, so it shows as 16. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record and multi-centre collaboration, so those were left out: it earned 27 of the 62 points we could judge it on, which is 44 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 2 / 10 | Tier 4 — not a peer-reviewed journal (bioRxiv) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Not a journal article, so the journal's record does not count |
| 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 | 4 / 10 | Preprint — not yet peer-reviewed. Hosted on a preprint server. |
| How recent | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 146 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 | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 27 / 62 | Scored on 12 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 27 of the 62 points we could judge it on is 44 out of 100. |
| Total | 44 / 100 | Capped to 16 because this is not a peer-reviewed article. |
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