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Longitudinal Association of Total Tau Concentrations and Physical Activity With Cognitive Decline in a Population Sample
Desai P, Evans D, Dhana K, Aggarwal NT, Wilson RS, McAninch E, Rajan KB.. JAMA network open, 2021-08-02
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Importance Tau is a brain protein located in neurons and develops abnormally in individuals with Alzheimer disease. New technology is convenient for measuring blood total tau concentrations and provides a unique and increased opportunity for early intervention to slow cognitive decline. Objective To evaluate the association of physical activity and total tau concentrations with cognitive decline at baseline and over time.
Key findings
- New technology is convenient for measuring blood total tau concentrations and provides a unique and increased opportunity for early intervention to slow cognitive decline.
- Objective To evaluate the association of physical activity and total tau concentrations with cognitive decline at baseline and over time.
- Design, setting, and participants The Chicago Health and Aging Project is a population-based cohort study conducted in 4 Chicago communities.
- Data collection occurred in 3-year cycles between 1993 and 2012.
Why it matters
This population-based cohort study evaluated whether physical activity and blood total tau concentrations are associated with cognitive decline over time. It is observational, so it cannot prove that physical activity prevents cognitive decline or that lowering tau helps patients.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Blood tests & biomarkers →
Study details
- Study designcohort study
- Participants1,159
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 61/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a cohort study following people over time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (JAMA network open) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | JAMA Network Open: journal h-index 235 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A cohort study following people over 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 | 3 / 5 | 2021 — within 6 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 3 / 4 | 1,159 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 | 4 / 7 | Cited 45 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 6.4 citations a year over 7 year(s) since 2021 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 22 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Kumar Bharat Rajan: h-index 48 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of California, Davis: institution h-index 1,257 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 34379124) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 61 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.20398
- PubMed: 34379124
- Original source →
- Free full text: JAMA Network Open →
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. The record names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Desai, P., Evans, D., Dhana, K., Aggarwal, N. T., Wilson, R. S., McAninch, E., et al. (2021). Longitudinal Association of Total Tau Concentrations and Physical Activity With Cognitive Decline in a Population Sample. JAMA network open. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.20398
Vancouver
Desai P, Evans D, Dhana K, Aggarwal NT, Wilson RS, McAninch E, et al. Longitudinal Association of Total Tau Concentrations and Physical Activity With Cognitive Decline in a Population Sample. JAMA network open. 2021. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.20398. PMID: 34379124.
BibTeX
@article{desai2021-34379124,
author = {Desai, P. and Evans, D. and Dhana, K. and Aggarwal, N. T. and Wilson, R. S. and McAninch, E. and Rajan, K. B.},
title = {{Longitudinal Association of Total Tau Concentrations and Physical Activity With Cognitive Decline in a Population Sample}},
journal = {JAMA network open},
year = {2021},
doi = {10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.20398},
pmid = {34379124},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.20398}
}
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