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52/100

✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 52 out of 100. Mild cognitive impairment

Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is considered as a transition phase between normal aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD). MCI confers an increased risk of developing AD, although the state is heterogeneous with several possible outcomes, including even improvement back to normal cognition. We sought to determine the serum metabolomic profiles associated with progression to and diagnosis of AD in a prospective study. At the baseline assessment, the subjects enrolled in the study were classified into three diagnostic groups: healthy controls (n=46), MCI (n=143) and AD (n=47). Among the MCI subjects, 52 progressed to AD in the follow-up. Comprehensive metabolomics approach was applied to analyze baseline serum samples and to associate the metabolite profiles with the diagnosis at baseline and in the follow-up. At baseline, AD patients were characterized by diminished ether phospholipids, phosphatidylcholines, sphingomyelins and sterols. A molecular signature comprising three metabolites was identified, which was predictive of progression to AD in the follow-up. The major contributor to the predictive model was 2,4-dihydroxybutanoic acid, which was upregulated in AD progressors (P=0.0048), indicating potential involvement of hypoxia in the early AD pathogenesis. This was supported by the pathway analysis of metabolomics data, which identified upregulation of pentose phosphate pathway in patients who later progressed to AD. Together, our findings primarily implicate hypoxia, oxidative stress, as well as membrane lipid remodeling in progression to AD. Establishment of pathogenic relevance of predictive biomarkers such as ours may not only facilitate early diagnosis, but may also help identify new therapeutic avenues.

Key findings

MCI confers an increased risk of developing AD, although the state is heterogeneous with several possible outcomes, including even improvement back to normal cognition.
We sought to determine the serum metabolomic profiles associated with progression to and diagnosis of AD in a prospective study.
Together, our findings primarily implicate hypoxia, oxidative stress, as well as membrane lipid remodeling in progression to AD.

Why it matters

In this prospective study, a molecular signature of three metabolites predicted progression to Alzheimer's disease, with 2,4-dihydroxybutanoic acid as the major contributor, and the findings primarily implicate hypoxia, oxidative stress and membrane lipid remodeling. This concerns markers of progression, not treatment or prevention.

Study details

Participants46
Evidence strengthLow

How this study scored 52/100

Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.

Component	Points	Why
Journal tier	7 / 10	Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Translational psychiatry)
Journal's citation record	2 / 4	Translational Psychiatry: journal h-index 180 (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	2011 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here
Sample size	1 / 4	46 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	5 / 7	Cited 279 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10)
Citations per year	3 / 5	16.4 citations a year over 17 year(s) since 2011
Impact for its field and year	4 / 6	Cited 12.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI)
Cited by studies here	2 / 6	Cited by 8 other studies in this library
Still being cited	2 / 4	Cited 28 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex)
Senior author's track record	4 / 4	Last-listed author Hilkka S. Soininen: h-index 143 (OpenAlex, whole career)
Institution's track record	1 / 3	Karolinska Institutet: institution h-index 1,477 (OpenAlex)
Multi-centre collaboration	2 / 3	OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 2 countries
Indexed in PubMed	2 / 2	Indexed in PubMed (PMID 22832349)
Free to read	2 / 2	Free to read
Total	52 / 100	—

What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →

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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris

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APA 7th

Orešič, M., Hyötyläinen, T., Herukka, S. K., Sysi-Aho, M., Mattila, I., Seppänan-Laakso, T., et al. (2011). Metabolome in progression to Alzheimer's disease. Translational psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1038/tp.2011.55

Vancouver

Orešič M, Hyötyläinen T, Herukka SK, Sysi-Aho M, Mattila I, Seppänan-Laakso T, et al. Metabolome in progression to Alzheimer's disease. Translational psychiatry. 2011. doi:10.1038/tp.2011.55. PMID: 22832349.

BibTeX

@article{oresic2011-22832349,
  author  = {Orešič, M. and Hyötyläinen, T. and Herukka, S. K. and Sysi-Aho, M. and Mattila, I. and Seppänan-Laakso, T. and Julkunen, V. and Gopalacharyulu, P. V. and others},
  title   = {{Metabolome in progression to Alzheimer's disease}},
  journal = {Translational psychiatry},
  year    = {2011},
  doi     = {10.1038/tp.2011.55},
  pmid    = {22832349},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1038/tp.2011.55}
}

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