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Higher brain BDNF gene expression is associated with slower cognitive decline in older adults
Buchman AS, Yu L, Boyle PA, Schneider JA, De Jager PL, Bennett DA.. Neurology, 2016-01-27
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Objectives We tested whether brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene expression levels are associated with cognitive decline in older adults. Methods Five hundred thirty-five older participants underwent annual cognitive assessments and brain autopsy at death. BDNF gene expression was measured in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
Key findings
- Methods Five hundred thirty-five older participants underwent annual cognitive assessments and brain autopsy at death.
- BDNF gene expression was measured in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
- Linear mixed models were used to examine whether BDNF expression was associated with cognitive decline adjusting for age, sex, and education.
- An interaction term was added to determine whether this association varied with clinical diagnosis proximate to death (no cognitive impairment, mild cognitive impairment, or dementia).
Why it matters
In 535 older participants who underwent annual cognitive assessments and brain autopsy, higher brain BDNF gene expression was associated with slower cognitive decline. This is an observational association study and does not report any treatment, cure or prevention for Alzheimer's disease.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 53/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people 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 | 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 | 2016 — 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) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 238 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 19.8 citations a year over 12 year(s) since 2016 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 19.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 5 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 69 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author David Alan Bennett: h-index 197 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Harvard University: institution h-index 3,235 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 26819457) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 53 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Buchman, A. S., Yu, L., Boyle, P. A., Schneider, J. A., De Jager, P. L., & Bennett, D. A. (2016). Higher brain BDNF gene expression is associated with slower cognitive decline in older adults. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000002387
Vancouver
Buchman AS, Yu L, Boyle PA, Schneider JA, De Jager PL, Bennett DA. Higher brain BDNF gene expression is associated with slower cognitive decline in older adults. Neurology. 2016. doi:10.1212/wnl.0000000000002387. PMID: 26819457.
BibTeX
@article{buchman2016-26819457,
author = {Buchman, A. S. and Yu, L. and Boyle, P. A. and Schneider, J. A. and De Jager, P. L. and Bennett, D. A.},
title = {{Higher brain BDNF gene expression is associated with slower cognitive decline in older adults}},
journal = {Neurology},
year = {2016},
doi = {10.1212/wnl.0000000000002387},
pmid = {26819457},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000002387}
}
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