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Plasma Neurofilament Light Chain Levels Are Associated With Cortical Hypometabolism in Alzheimer Disease Signature Regions
Mayeli M, Mirshahvalad SM, Aghamollaii V, Tafakhori A, Abdolalizadeh A, Rahmani F, Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative.. Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology, 2019-08-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Neurofilament light chain (NFL) has been recently introduced as a biomarker of early dementia. 18-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG-PET) is a proxy for regional hypometabolism in Alzheimer disease (AD). Globally normalized 18F-FDG-PET values and levels of NFL and tau were obtained from 149 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) from the baseline cohort of the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative database. We adopted a stepwise partial correlation model using plasma NFL, plasma tau, CSF NFL, and regional cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (CMRGlc) as main variables, and age, sex, and Alzheimer's Disease Rating Scale (ADAS) as covariates. Significant regions were entered into a stepwise multiple regression analysis to investigate the independent correlation of each biomarker to baseline regional CMRGlc and its progression in patients with MCI. Higher baseline CSF NFL levels correlated with hypometabolism in bilateral precuneal and posterior cingulate cortex. After correction for age, sex, and ADAS score, plasma NFL levels correlated with hypometabolism in bilateral parahippocampal and middle temporal gyri. Cortical hypometabolism in bilateral parahippocampal gyri and right fusiform and middle temporal gyri was independently predicted by higher baseline plasma NFL levels in a multiple regression model. Plasma NFL promises to be an early biomarker of cortical hypometabolism in MCI and for MCI progression to AD.
Key findings
- Significant regions were entered into a stepwise multiple regression analysis to investigate the independent correlation of each biomarker to baseline regional CMRGlc and its progression in patients with MCI.
Why it matters
Among 149 patients with mild cognitive impairment, higher baseline plasma neurofilament light chain levels correlated with hypometabolism in Alzheimer's signature brain regions. This is a biomarker-imaging correlation study and does not test any treatment, cure, or prevention for Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Participants149
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 43/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 41 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 43 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology: journal h-index 239 (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 | 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 | 2 / 5 | 2019 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 149 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 | 3 / 7 | Cited 23 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.6 citations a year over 9 year(s) since 2019 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 2.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 5 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Tehran University of Medical Sciences: institution h-index 810 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 31305887) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 41 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 41 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 43 out of 100. |
| Total | 43 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription Unpaywall, Europe PMC and OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 10 Oct 2026), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
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
Mayeli, M., Mirshahvalad, S. M., Aghamollaii, V., Tafakhori, A., Abdolalizadeh, A., Rahmani, F., et al. (2019). Plasma Neurofilament Light Chain Levels Are Associated With Cortical Hypometabolism in Alzheimer Disease Signature Regions. Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology. https://doi.org/10.1093/jnen/nlz054
Vancouver
Mayeli M, Mirshahvalad SM, Aghamollaii V, Tafakhori A, Abdolalizadeh A, Rahmani F, et al. Plasma Neurofilament Light Chain Levels Are Associated With Cortical Hypometabolism in Alzheimer Disease Signature Regions. Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology. 2019. doi:10.1093/jnen/nlz054. PMID: 31305887.
BibTeX
@article{mayeli2019-31305887,
author = {Mayeli, M. and Mirshahvalad, S. M. and Aghamollaii, V. and Tafakhori, A. and Abdolalizadeh, A. and Rahmani, F. and {Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative}},
title = {{Plasma Neurofilament Light Chain Levels Are Associated With Cortical Hypometabolism in Alzheimer Disease Signature Regions}},
journal = {Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology},
year = {2019},
doi = {10.1093/jnen/nlz054},
pmid = {31305887},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/jnen/nlz054}
}
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