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Levels of plasma neurofilament light chain and cognitive function in patients with Alzheimer or Parkinson disease
Lin YS, Lee WJ, Wang SJ, Fuh JL.. Scientific reports, 2018-11-26
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Plasma neurofilament light (NFL) has been proposed as a blood-based biomarker for neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and parkinsonian disorders. However, the relationship between plasma NFL and cognitive decline in dementia due to Parkinson's disease (PD) remains to be elucidated. In this research, 119 AD, 56 mild cognitive impairment (MCI), 26 non-demented PD (PDND), and 23 Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD) patients, as well as 59 cognitively healthy controls (HC) were recruited. Each subject underwent a battery of neuropsychological testing. Plasma NFL levels were measured in duplicate using an NF-Light assay and transferred onto the Simoa platform with a home-brew kit. Plasma NFL was significantly increased in the AD group, compared with the control, MCI, PDND, and PDD groups. Plasma NFL was significantly higher in the PDD group, compared with the PDND group. High plasma NFL correlated with poor cognition in AD and PD, but not with motor symptoms in PD. Plasma NFL may represent a biomarker of cognitive decline in AD and PD, with more specificity for AD.
Key findings
- Plasma NFL was significantly increased in the AD group, compared with the control, MCI, PDND, and PDD groups.
- Plasma NFL was significantly higher in the PDD group, compared with the PDND group.
Why it matters
Plasma neurofilament light was higher in people with Alzheimer's disease than in controls and other groups, and high levels correlated with poor cognition in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. This supports its use as a biomarker of cognitive decline, not as a treatment, cure, or prevention.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 50/100
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 (Scientific reports) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Scientific Reports: journal h-index 463 (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 | 2 / 5 | 2018 — within 10 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 253 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 25.3 citations a year over 10 year(s) since 2018 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 18.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 10 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 63 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Jong‐Ling Fuh: h-index 79 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | National Yang Ming University: institution h-index 442 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 30478269) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 50 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
Full text: free to read — PubMed Central lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 10 Oct 2026).
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
Lin, Y. S., Lee, W. J., Wang, S. J., & Fuh, J. L. (2018). Levels of plasma neurofilament light chain and cognitive function in patients with Alzheimer or Parkinson disease. Scientific reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-35766-w
Vancouver
Lin YS, Lee WJ, Wang SJ, Fuh JL. Levels of plasma neurofilament light chain and cognitive function in patients with Alzheimer or Parkinson disease. Scientific reports. 2018. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-35766-w. PMID: 30478269.
BibTeX
@article{lin2018-30478269,
author = {Lin, Y. S. and Lee, W. J. and Wang, S. J. and Fuh, J. L.},
title = {{Levels of plasma neurofilament light chain and cognitive function in patients with Alzheimer or Parkinson disease}},
journal = {Scientific reports},
year = {2018},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-018-35766-w},
pmid = {30478269},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-35766-w}
}
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