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Plasma ceramides are altered in mild cognitive impairment and predict cognitive decline and hippocampal volume loss
Mielke MM, Haughey NJ, Bandaru VV, Schech S, Carrick R, Carlson MC, Mori S, Miller MI et al.. Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association, 2010-09-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Background A blood-based biomarker of Alzheimer's disease (AD) would be superior to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and neuroimaging measures in terms of cost, invasiveness, and feasibility for repeated measures. We previously reported that blood ceramides varied in relation to timing of memory impairment in a population-based study. The present objective was to examine whether plasma ceramides varied by AD severity in a well-characterized clinic sample and were associated with cognitive decline and hippocampal volume loss over 1 year. Methods Participants included 25 normal controls (NC), 17 amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), and 21 early probable AD. A thorough neuropsychological battery and neuroimaging with hippocampal volume determination were conducted at baseline and 1 year later. Plasma ceramides were assayed at baseline using high performance liquid chromatography coupled electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Results Although all saturated ceramides were lower in MCI compared with AD at baseline, ceramides C22:0 and C24:0 were significantly lower in the MCI group compared with both NC and AD groups (P .05) in AD versus NC. There were no cross-sectional associations between ceramides C22:0 and C24:0 and either cognitive performance or hippocampal volume among any group. However, among the MCI group, higher baseline ceramide C22:0 and C24:0 levels were predictive of cognitive decline and hippocampal volume loss 1 year later. Conclusion Results suggest that very long-chain plasma ceramides C22:0 and C24:0 are altered in MCI and predict memory loss and right hippocampal volume loss among subjects with MCI. These plasma ceramides may be early indicators of AD progression.
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APA 7th
Mielke, M. M., Haughey, N. J., Bandaru, V. V., Schech, S., Carrick, R., Carlson, M. C., et al. (2010). Plasma ceramides are altered in mild cognitive impairment and predict cognitive decline and hippocampal volume loss. Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2010.03.014
Vancouver
Mielke MM, Haughey NJ, Bandaru VV, Schech S, Carrick R, Carlson MC, et al. Plasma ceramides are altered in mild cognitive impairment and predict cognitive decline and hippocampal volume loss. Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association. 2010. doi:10.1016/j.jalz.2010.03.014. PMID: 20813340.
BibTeX
@article{mielke2010-20813340,
author = {Mielke, M. M. and Haughey, N. J. and Bandaru, V. V. and Schech, S. and Carrick, R. and Carlson, M. C. and Mori, S. and Miller, M. I. and others},
title = {{Plasma ceramides are altered in mild cognitive impairment and predict cognitive decline and hippocampal volume loss}},
journal = {Alzheimer's \& dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association},
year = {2010},
doi = {10.1016/j.jalz.2010.03.014},
pmid = {20813340},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2010.03.014}
}
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Key findings
- The present objective was to examine whether plasma ceramides varied by AD severity in a well-characterized clinic sample and were associated with cognitive decline and hippocampal volume loss over 1 year.
- Results Although all saturated ceramides were lower in MCI compared with AD at baseline, ceramides C22:0 and C24:0 were significantly lower in the MCI group compared with both NC and AD groups (P .05) in AD versus NC.
- Conclusion Results suggest that very long-chain plasma ceramides C22:0 and C24:0 are altered in MCI and predict memory loss and right hippocampal volume loss among subjects with MCI.
Why it matters
In this small clinic sample, two plasma ceramides were lower in mild cognitive impairment than in normal controls or Alzheimer's disease, and higher baseline levels of these ceramides in the MCI group predicted cognitive decline and hippocampal volume loss over one year. The study was cross-sectional for its main comparisons and involved only 25 controls, 17 MCI, and 21 early Alzheimer's patients, so it is preliminary and does not show that measuring ceramides prevents or treats the disease.
Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Participants25
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 54/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in 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 (Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Alzheimer s & Dementia: journal h-index 228 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| 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 | 2010 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 25 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 169 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 9.4 citations a year over 18 year(s) since 2010 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 6.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 2 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 32 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Constantine George Lyketsos: h-index 130 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Johns Hopkins University: institution h-index 2,306 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 20813340) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 54 / 100 | — |
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