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Plasma TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) levels in a population-based cohort of older adults: The cardiovascular health study
Alison E. Fohner, Colleen M. Sitlani, Suman Jayadev, Joshua C Bis, Emily H. Trittschuh, Oscar L. Lopez, Russell P. Tracy, Bruce M. Psaty et al.. Journal of Alzheimer s Disease, 2025-04-23
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Brain deposition of transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) is a feature of neurodegenerative syndromes. We evaluated TDP-43 plasma concentrations in 1058 participants in the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS), a population-based longitudinal cohort. The cohort was 38% male, 11% Black, had a mean age 75 years, and 261 people developed dementia over a mean of 5.5 years of follow up. Median TDP-43 levels were 211.0 pg/mL (IQR: 134.0-341.0 pg/mL). TDP-43 levels were not associated with cross-sectional or longitudinal change in cognitive scores, with plasma AD biomarkers, with brain MRI volumes, with incident dementia, or with demographic characteristics.
Key findings
- TDP-43 levels were not associated with cross-sectional or longitudinal change in cognitive scores, with plasma AD biomarkers, with brain MRI volumes, with incident dementia, or with demographic characteristics.
Why it matters
In this large group of older adults, blood levels of TDP-43 were not linked to thinking changes, brain scans, Alzheimer's blood markers, or who went on to develop dementia. This means TDP-43 in blood did not work as a useful marker for Alzheimer's or dementia risk in this study.
Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Participants1,058
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 51/100
Published in a peer-reviewed 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 | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of Alzheimer s Disease) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Journal of Alzheimer s Disease: journal h-index 218 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| 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 | 3 / 4 | 1,058 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 | 1 / 7 | Cited 1 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 1 / 6 | Cited 0.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Sudha S. Seshadri: h-index 148 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | University of Washington: institution h-index 3,540 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40267298) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 51 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Fohner, A. E., Sitlani, C. M., Jayadev, S., Bis, J. C., Trittschuh, E. H., Lopez, O. L., et al. (2025). Plasma TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) levels in a population-based cohort of older adults: The cardiovascular health study. Journal of Alzheimer s Disease. https://doi.org/10.1177/13872877251334820
Vancouver
Fohner AE, Sitlani CM, Jayadev S, Bis JC, Trittschuh EH, Lopez OL, et al. Plasma TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) levels in a population-based cohort of older adults: The cardiovascular health study. Journal of Alzheimer s Disease. 2025. doi:10.1177/13872877251334820. PMID: 40267298.
BibTeX
@article{fohner2025-40267298,
author = {Fohner, Alison E. and Sitlani, Colleen M. and Jayadev, Suman and Bis, Joshua C and Trittschuh, Emily H. and Lopez, Oscar L. and Tracy, Russell P. and Psaty, Bruce M. and others},
title = {{Plasma TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) levels in a population-based cohort of older adults: The cardiovascular health study}},
journal = {Journal of Alzheimer s Disease},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1177/13872877251334820},
pmid = {40267298},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1177/13872877251334820}
}
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