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Divergent CSF τ alterations in two common tauopathies: Alzheimer's disease and progressive supranuclear palsy
Wagshal D, Sankaranarayanan S, Guss V, Hall T, Berisha F, Lobach I, Karydas A, Voltarelli L et al.. Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry, 2014-06-04
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Background Elevated CSF τ is considered a biomarker of neuronal injury in newly developed Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) criteria. However, previous studies have failed to detect alterations of τ species in other primary tauopathies. We assessed CSF τ protein abnormalities in AD, a tauopathy with prominent Aβ pathology, and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a primary tauopathy characterised by deposition of four microtubule-binding repeat (4R) τ with minimal Aβ pathology.
Key findings
- However, previous studies have failed to detect alterations of τ species in other primary tauopathies.
- We assessed CSF τ protein abnormalities in AD, a tauopathy with prominent Aβ pathology, and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a primary tauopathy characterised by deposition of four microtubule-binding repeat (4R) τ with minimal Aβ pathology.
- Methods 26 normal control (NC), 37 AD, and 24 patients with PSP participated in the study.
- AD and PSP were matched for severity using the clinical dementia rating sum of boxes (CDR-sb) scores.
Why it matters
This study compared cerebrospinal fluid tau protein levels in people with Alzheimer's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy and normal controls. It is a biomarker comparison study and does not test any treatment, cure or prevention for Alzheimer's disease.
Study details
- Participants24
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 50/100
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 (Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry: journal h-index 336 (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 | 2015 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 24 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 132 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 10.2 citations a year over 13 year(s) since 2015 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 5.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 6 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 28 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Adam L. Boxer: h-index 98 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Toronto: institution h-index 1,923 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 24899730) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 50 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2014-308004
- PubMed: 24899730
- Original source →
- Free full text: Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry →
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
Wagshal, D., Sankaranarayanan, S., Guss, V., Hall, T., Berisha, F., Lobach, I., et al. (2015). Divergent CSF τ alterations in two common tauopathies: Alzheimer's disease and progressive supranuclear palsy. Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2014-308004
Vancouver
Wagshal D, Sankaranarayanan S, Guss V, Hall T, Berisha F, Lobach I, et al. Divergent CSF τ alterations in two common tauopathies: Alzheimer's disease and progressive supranuclear palsy. Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry. 2015. doi:10.1136/jnnp-2014-308004. PMID: 24899730.
BibTeX
@article{wagshal2015-24899730,
author = {Wagshal, D. and Sankaranarayanan, S. and Guss, V. and Hall, T. and Berisha, F. and Lobach, I. and Karydas, A. and Voltarelli, L. and others},
title = {{Divergent CSF τ alterations in two common tauopathies: Alzheimer's disease and progressive supranuclear palsy}},
journal = {Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry},
year = {2015},
doi = {10.1136/jnnp-2014-308004},
pmid = {24899730},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2014-308004}
}
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