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60/100

✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 60 out of 100. Mild cognitive impairment

Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis

Background Increasingly, evidence from brain imaging supports the role of neuroinflammation in dementia progression. Yet, it is not clear if there are patterns of spatial and temporal susceptibility to neuroinflammatory processes in the brain that may correspond to dementia staging or symptom expression. Methods We searched literature databases for case-control studies examining levels of translocator protein (TSPO) levels using positron emission tomography, representing neuroinflammation, in regional analyses between healthy controls and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or Alzheimer's disease (AD) subjects. Standardised mean differences (SMDs) were calculated and results meta-analysed using random-effects models. Quality assessments, sensitivity analysis, subgroup analysis and meta-regressions were also performed. Results Twenty-eight studies comprising 755 (HC = 318, MCI = 168, AD = 269) participants and 37 brain regions were included. Compared to HCs, AD participants had increased TSPO levels throughout the brain (SMD range: 0.43-1.76), especially within fronto-temporal regions. MCI subjects also had increased TSPO levels, mainly within the neocortex, with more modest effects (SMD range: 0.46 - 0.90). Meta-regression analysis identified an inverse association between TSPO levels in the parietal region and Mini-Mental State Examination scores, a proxy for disease severity, in AD subjects (estimate: -0.11, 95% confidence interval: -0.21 to -0.02; P = 0.024). Conclusions Our findings support the association of increased neuroinflammation during the progression of MCI and AD, relative to HCs.

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

APA 7th

Bradburn, S., Murgatroyd, C., & Ray, N. (2019). Neuroinflammation in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease: A meta-analysis. Ageing research reviews. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2019.01.002

Vancouver

Bradburn S, Murgatroyd C, Ray N. Neuroinflammation in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease: A meta-analysis. Ageing research reviews. 2019. doi:10.1016/j.arr.2019.01.002. PMID: 30610927.

BibTeX

@article{bradburn2019-30610927,
  author  = {Bradburn, S. and Murgatroyd, C. and Ray, N.},
  title   = {{Neuroinflammation in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease: A meta-analysis}},
  journal = {Ageing research reviews},
  year    = {2019},
  doi     = {10.1016/j.arr.2019.01.002},
  pmid    = {30610927},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2019.01.002}
}

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Key findings

Standardised mean differences (SMDs) were calculated and results meta-analysed using random-effects models.
Results Twenty-eight studies comprising 755 (HC = 318, MCI = 168, AD = 269) participants and 37 brain regions were included.
Compared to HCs, AD participants had increased TSPO levels throughout the brain (SMD range: 0.43-1.76), especially within fronto-temporal regions.
Conclusions Our findings support the association of increased neuroinflammation during the progression of MCI and AD, relative to HCs.

Why it matters

This meta-analysis of 28 studies found increased levels of the neuroinflammation marker TSPO on PET imaging in people with Alzheimer's disease throughout the brain, and more modest increases in mild cognitive impairment mainly in the neocortex. The findings support an association between increased neuroinflammation and progression of mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.

Study details

Study designmeta-analysis
Evidence strengthHigh

How this study scored 60/100

Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a meta-analysis pooling many studies. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported and studied in people because the record does not state it.

Component	Points	Why
Journal tier	7 / 10	Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Ageing research reviews)
Journal's citation record	2 / 4	Ageing Research Reviews: journal h-index 225 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29)
Study design	12 / 12	A meta-analysis pooling many studies
Strength of evidence	5 / 5	Rated “high” in our summary
Peer-review validation	10 / 10	Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal.
How recent	2 / 5	2019 — 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)
Randomized / blinded	0 / 2	A review of other studies — randomization is not credited here
Times cited	5 / 7	Cited 269 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10)
Citations per year	4 / 5	29.9 citations a year over 9 year(s) since 2019
Impact for its field and year	3 / 6	Cited 3.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI)
Cited by studies here	3 / 6	Cited by 14 other studies in this library
Still being cited	3 / 4	Cited 100 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex)
Senior author's track record	2 / 4	Last-listed author Nicola J. Ray: h-index 30 (OpenAlex, whole career)
Institution's track record	0 / 3	Manchester Metropolitan University: institution h-index 356 (OpenAlex)
Multicenter collaboration	0 / 3	OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete)
Indexed in PubMed	2 / 2	Indexed in PubMed (PMID 30610927)
Free to read	0 / 2	Behind a paywall — scores zero
Total	60 / 100	—

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