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Plasma phosphorylated tau-217 correlates with brain atrophy, cognition, and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers in a cognitively healthy community cohort
Sim MA, Rowsthorn E, O'Brien WT, Sun M, Cribb L, Franks K, McDonald SJ, Yiallourou S et al.. Brain communications, 2025-10-07
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
We examined if plasma biomarkers of AD, neurodegeneration, and neuroinflammation were associated with cognition, brain structure, and their cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) counterparts in dementia-free older adults. Higher plasma pTau-217 levels associated with lower global cognition scores ( β -0.80, 95% C.I. -1.56, -0.03, P = 0.041) and abstract reasoning [ β -0.86, 95% confidence interval (C.I.) -1.62, -0.09, P = 0.028]. Greater plasma pTau-217 also associated with lower global cortical thickness [βeta ( β ) -0.21, 95% confidence interval (C.I). -0.37, -0.06, per log unit change; P = 0.006]. Nfl associated with memory ( β -1.38, 95% C.I. -2.65, -0.12, P = 0.033), while GFAP associated with global cognition ( β -1.48, 95% C.I. -2.44, -0.52, P = 0.003) and memory ( β -1.05, 95% C.I. -2.05, -0.04, P = 0.041). In conclusion, plasma pTau-217 levels were associated with both cognition and cortical thickness in dementia-free older adults. All plasma biomarkers correlated significantly with their CSF counterpart. These findings reinforce the utility of plasma biomarkers, particularly pTau-217, as indicators of neurodegenerative processes, even in asymptomatic individuals.
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APA 7th
Sim, M. A., Rowsthorn, E., O'Brien, W. T., Sun, M., Cribb, L., Franks, K., et al. (2025). Plasma phosphorylated tau-217 correlates with brain atrophy, cognition, and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers in a cognitively healthy community cohort. Brain communications. https://doi.org/10.1093/braincomms/fcaf383
Vancouver
Sim MA, Rowsthorn E, O'Brien WT, Sun M, Cribb L, Franks K, et al. Plasma phosphorylated tau-217 correlates with brain atrophy, cognition, and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers in a cognitively healthy community cohort. Brain communications. 2025. doi:10.1093/braincomms/fcaf383. PMID: 41140811.
BibTeX
@article{sim2025-41140811,
author = {Sim, M. A. and Rowsthorn, E. and O'Brien, W. T. and Sun, M. and Cribb, L. and Franks, K. and McDonald, S. J. and Yiallourou, S. and others},
title = {{Plasma phosphorylated tau-217 correlates with brain atrophy, cognition, and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers in a cognitively healthy community cohort}},
journal = {Brain communications},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1093/braincomms/fcaf383},
pmid = {41140811},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/braincomms/fcaf383}
}
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's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- We examined if plasma biomarkers of AD, neurodegeneration, and neuroinflammation were associated with cognition, brain structure, and their cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) counterparts in dementia-free older adults.
- Higher plasma pTau-217 levels associated with lower global cognition scores ( β -0.80, 95% C.I. -1.56, -0.03, P = 0.041) and abstract reasoning [ β -0.86, 95% confidence interval (C.I.) -1.62, -0.09, P = 0.028].
- Greater plasma pTau-217 also associated with lower global cortical thickness [βeta ( β ) -0.21, 95% confidence interval (C.I). -0.37, -0.06, per log unit change; P = 0.006].
- Nfl associated with memory ( β -1.38, 95% C.I. -2.65, -0.12, P = 0.033), while GFAP associated with global cognition ( β -1.48, 95% C.I. -2.44, -0.52, P = 0.003) and memory ( β -1.05, 95% C.I. -2.05, -0.04, P = 0.041).
- In conclusion, plasma pTau-217 levels were associated with both cognition and cortical thickness in dementia-free older adults.
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Study details
- Participants47
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 59/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record, times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record and multi-centre collaboration, so those were left out: it earned 34 of the 58 points we could judge it on, which is 59 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Brain communications) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| 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 | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 47 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 | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41140811) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Points | 34 / 58 | Scored on 11 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 34 of the 58 points we could judge it on is 59 out of 100. |
| Total | 59 / 100 | — |
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