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Inflammation Associated With Obesity, Aging, and Amyloid Burden in Adults With Down Syndrome
Fleming-Batayneh VL, Helsel BC, Ptomey LT, Handen BL, Mapstone M, Petersen M, Krinsky-McHale SJ, Hom CL et al.. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), 2026-06-05
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Objective Adults with Down syndrome (DS) often show elevated systemic inflammation, but the association with obesity, aging, and Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology is not well understood. Methods Data were drawn from 188 nondemented adults with DS participating in the Alzheimer Biomarkers Consortium-DS (ABC-DS). Participants completed clinical assessments, blood draws, and neuroimaging. Plasma biomarkers included indicators of general, pro-, and anti-inflammation. Mixed linear models tested associations between BMI, age, PET-measured amyloid burden, and inflammatory biomarkers, adjusting for sex, trisomy type, and collection site. False discovery rate correction was applied. Results The majority of the participants met criteria for obesity. Higher BMI was significantly associated with elevated levels of CRP, IL-6, TNF-α, B2M, IL-18, and slCAM-1 (p Conclusions Obesity, aging, and amyloid burden relate to systemic inflammation in adults with DS. Obesity showed the strongest and most consistent associations, emphasizing the value of regular monitoring and weight management strategies to help reduce inflammation. Aging and early amyloid accumulation showed more limited links with systemic inflammation; future work should examine whether these processes are more closely related to biomarkers of neuroinflammation as AD progresses.
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APA 7th
Fleming-Batayneh, V. L., Helsel, B. C., Ptomey, L. T., Handen, B. L., Mapstone, M., Petersen, M., et al. (2026). Inflammation Associated With Obesity, Aging, and Amyloid Burden in Adults With Down Syndrome. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.). https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.70229
Vancouver
Fleming-Batayneh VL, Helsel BC, Ptomey LT, Handen BL, Mapstone M, Petersen M, et al. Inflammation Associated With Obesity, Aging, and Amyloid Burden in Adults With Down Syndrome. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.). 2026. doi:10.1002/oby.70229. PMID: 42244445.
BibTeX
@article{flemingbatayneh2026-42244445,
author = {Fleming-Batayneh, V. L. and Helsel, B. C. and Ptomey, L. T. and Handen, B. L. and Mapstone, M. and Petersen, M. and Krinsky-McHale, S. J. and Hom, C. L. and others},
title = {{Inflammation Associated With Obesity, Aging, and Amyloid Burden in Adults With Down Syndrome}},
journal = {Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.)},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1002/oby.70229},
pmid = {42244445},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.70229}
}
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Key findings
- Results The majority of the participants met criteria for obesity.
- Higher BMI was significantly associated with elevated levels of CRP, IL-6, TNF-α, B2M, IL-18, and slCAM-1 (p Conclusions Obesity, aging, and amyloid burden relate to systemic inflammation in adults with DS.
Why it matters
In 188 non-demented adults with Down syndrome, higher BMI was strongly associated with elevated markers of systemic inflammation, while aging and early amyloid burden showed more limited links. The authors emphasize monitoring and weight management to help reduce inflammation, but this cross-sectional study does not test whether that affects Alzheimer's disease onset or progression.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 37/100
Published in a peer-reviewed 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 | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.)) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Obesity: journal h-index 231 (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 | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 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 | 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 Sigan L. Hartley: h-index 43 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Harvard University: institution h-index 3,235 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 12 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 42244445) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 37 / 100 | — |
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