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Extracellular Tau levels are influenced by variability in Tau that is associated with tauopathies
Karch CM, Jeng AT, Goate AM.. The Journal of biological chemistry, 2012-10-26
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Plain-language summary
Tauopathies are a class of neurodegenerative diseases marked by intracellular aggregates of hyperphosphorylated Tau. These diseases may occur by sporadic mechanisms in which genetic variants represent risk factors for disease, as is the case in Alzheimer disease (AD). In AD, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of soluble Tau/pTau-181 are higher in cases compared with controls.
What this study adds
Evidence grade: Low
This study asked whether disease-linked differences in the tau protein change how much tau is found outside cells. Its title reports that they do: "Extracellular Tau levels are influenced by variability in Tau that is associated with tauopathies." It starts from the known pattern that spinal-fluid tau is higher in Alzheimer's but only "slightly elevated" in inherited tau-gene FTD.
Taken from this record’s own fields, not from reading the paper. The grade is assigned from the abstract’s wording; what that means.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Karch, C. M., Jeng, A. T., & Goate, A. M. (2012). Extracellular Tau levels are influenced by variability in Tau that is associated with tauopathies. The Journal of biological chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.m112.380642
Vancouver
Karch CM, Jeng AT, Goate AM. Extracellular Tau levels are influenced by variability in Tau that is associated with tauopathies. The Journal of biological chemistry. 2012. doi:10.1074/jbc.m112.380642. PMID: 23105105.
BibTeX
@article{karch2012-23105105,
author = {Karch, C. M. and Jeng, A. T. and Goate, A. M.},
title = {{Extracellular Tau levels are influenced by variability in Tau that is associated with tauopathies}},
journal = {The Journal of biological chemistry},
year = {2012},
doi = {10.1074/jbc.m112.380642},
pmid = {23105105},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.m112.380642}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- These diseases may occur by sporadic mechanisms in which genetic variants represent risk factors for disease, as is the case in Alzheimer disease (AD).
- In AD, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of soluble Tau/pTau-181 are higher in cases compared with controls.
- A subset of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) cases occur by a familial mechanism in which MAPT, the gene that encodes Tau, mutations are dominantly inherited.
- In symptomatic FTD patients expressing a MAPT mutation, CSF Tau levels are slightly elevated but are significantly lower than in AD patients.
Why it matters
This study asked whether disease-linked differences in the tau protein change how much tau is found outside cells. Its title reports that they do: "Extracellular Tau levels are influenced by variability in Tau that is associated with tauopathies." It starts from the known pattern that spinal-fluid tau is higher in Alzheimer's but only "slightly elevated" in inherited tau-gene FTD. It is basic tau-biology research and does not test any treatment, cure, or prevention.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Blood tests & biomarkers →
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 47/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (The Journal of biological chemistry) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Journal of Biological Chemistry: journal h-index 780 (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 | 2012 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 175 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 10.9 citations a year over 16 year(s) since 2012 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 7.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 7 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 20 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Alison Goate: h-index 156 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Washington University in St. Louis: institution h-index 1,962 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 23105105) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 47 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.380642
- PubMed: 23105105
- Original source →
- Free full text: Journal of Biological Chemistry →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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