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Exploratory factor and network analysis of 43 inflammatory plasma biomarkers and cognitive performance in Black adults
Ramkrishna K. Singh, Semere Bekena, Alexis I.B. Walker, Kaylin Taylor, Yiqi Zhu, Subrata Pal, Essa A. Mohamed, JF Trani et al.. Journal of Alzheimer s Disease, 2026-09-02
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
BackgroundSystemic inflammation has been implicated in cognitive aging and neurodegeneration; however, inflammatory biomarkers are expressed in coordinated patterns rather than as isolated markers.ObjectiveTo identify latent inflammatory biomarker groupings and evaluate their associations with cognitive performance among midlife and older adults.MethodsThis cross-sectional study included 334 participants from the Aging Research Characterizing Health Exposome via Social Drivers (ARCHES) study. Cognitive performance was assessed using the Preclinical Alzheimer Cognitive Composite (PACC). Plasma inflammatory biomarkers were quantified using the NuLISA™ multiplex immunoassay platform. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) (minimum residual extraction, oblimin rotation) identified latent inflammatory factors, retaining biomarkers with loadings ≥0.40. Factor scores were evaluated in multivariable linear regression models adjusted for age, sex, education, and genotype status; sensitivity analyses adjusted for socioeconomic context, medication use, BMI, lifestyle factors, and clinical diagnoses. Age-stratified and nonlinear spline analyses were conducted.Results27 of 43 biomarkers formed an eight-factor structure explaining 43% of variance. Two factors were significantly associated with cognitive performance after FDR correction. Factor 4 (CCL4, CXCL1, S100A12) and Factor 5 (IL2, IL5, IL13, IL10, CSF2) were inversely associated with PACC scores. These associations remained consistent across sensitivity analyses. Age-stratified analyses showed that several inflammatory factors were associated with cognitive performance among participants aged 45-<65 years, whereas no factors remained significant among participants aged ≥65 years after FDR correction. Nonlinear modeling indicated a non-linear age-cognitive performance relationship.ConclusionsEFA identified clusters of correlated inflammatory biomarkers associated with cognitive performance in this cohort of midlife and older adults.
Key findings
- Two factors were significantly associated with cognitive performance after FDR correction.
- Factor 4 (CCL4, CXCL1, S100A12) and Factor 5 (IL2, IL5, IL13, IL10, CSF2) were inversely associated with PACC scores.
- Age-stratified analyses showed that several inflammatory factors were associated with cognitive performance among participants aged 45-<65 years, whereas no factors remained significant among participants aged ≥65 years after FDR correction.
- Nonlinear modeling indicated a non-linear age-cognitive performance relationship.ConclusionsEFA identified clusters of correlated inflammatory biomarkers associated with cognitive performance in this cohort of midlife and older adults.
Why it matters
In Black midlife and older adults, two groups of inflammatory plasma biomarkers were inversely associated with cognitive performance, mainly among participants aged 45 to under 65. This is a cross-sectional study of associations and does not test any treatment, cure, or prevention.
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Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Participants334
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 44/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for 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 Alzheimer s Disease) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Journal of Alzheimer s Disease: journal h-index 218 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in 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 | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 334 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 | 0 / 7 | Cited 0 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.0 citations a year over 2 year(s) since 2026 |
| Impact for its field and year | 0 / 6 | Cited 0.0× 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 | 0 / 4 | Cited 0 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Ganesh Muneshwar Babulal: h-index 31 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Washington University in St. Louis: institution h-index 1,962 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 3 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 42684984) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 44 / 100 | — |
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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
Singh, R. K., Bekena, S., Walker, A. I., Taylor, K., Zhu, Y., Pal, S., et al. (2026). Exploratory factor and network analysis of 43 inflammatory plasma biomarkers and cognitive performance in Black adults. Journal of Alzheimer s Disease. https://doi.org/10.1177/13872877261481701
Vancouver
Singh RK, Bekena S, Walker AI, Taylor K, Zhu Y, Pal S, et al. Exploratory factor and network analysis of 43 inflammatory plasma biomarkers and cognitive performance in Black adults. Journal of Alzheimer s Disease. 2026. doi:10.1177/13872877261481701. PMID: 42684984.
BibTeX
@article{singh2026-42684984,
author = {Singh, Ramkrishna K. and Bekena, Semere and Walker, Alexis I.B. and Taylor, Kaylin and Zhu, Yiqi and Pal, Subrata and Mohamed, Essa A. and Trani, JF and others},
title = {{Exploratory factor and network analysis of 43 inflammatory plasma biomarkers and cognitive performance in Black adults}},
journal = {Journal of Alzheimer s Disease},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1177/13872877261481701},
pmid = {42684984},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1177/13872877261481701}
}
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