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Relationships of Cognitive Measures with Cerebrospinal Fluid but Not Imaging Biomarkers of Alzheimer Disease Vary between Black and White Individuals
Bonomi S, Lu R, Schindler SE, Bui Q, Lah JJ, Wolk D, Gleason CE, Sperling R et al.. Annals of neurology, 2023-12-19
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Plain-language summary
Objective Biomarkers of Alzheimer disease vary between groups of self-identified Black and White individuals in some studies. This study examined whether the relationships between biomarkers or between biomarkers and cognitive measures varied by racialized groups. Methods Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), amyloid positron emission tomography (PET), and magnetic resonance imaging measures were harmonized across four studies of memory and aging. Spearman correlations between biomarkers and between biomarkers and cognitive measures were calculated within each racialized group, then compared between groups by standard normal tests after Fisher's Z-transformations. Results The harmonized dataset included at least one biomarker measurement from 495 Black and 2,600 White participants. The mean age was similar between racialized groups. However, Black participants were less likely to have cognitive impairment (28% vs 36%) and had less abnormality of some CSF biomarkers including CSF Aβ42/40, total tau, p-tau181, and neurofilament light. CSF Aβ42/40 was negatively correlated with total tau and p-tau181 in both groups, but at a smaller magnitude in Black individuals. CSF Aβ42/40, total tau, and p-tau181 had weaker correlations with cognitive measures, especially episodic memory, in Black than White participants. Correlations of amyloid measures between CSF (Aβ42/40, Aβ42) and PET imaging were also weaker in Black than White participants. Importantly, no differences based on race were found in correlations between different imaging biomarkers, or in correlations between imaging biomarkers and cognitive measures. Interpretation Relationships between CSF biomarkers but not imaging biomarkers varied by racialized groups. Imaging biomarkers performed more consistently across racialized groups in associations with cognitive measures. ANN NEUROL 2024;95:495-506.
What this study adds
Evidence grade: Low
In this harmonized dataset of 495 Black and 2,600 White participants, some cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers and their correlations with cognitive measures differed between groups. The study concerns how biomarkers relate to cognition across groups and does not test a treatment, cure or prevention.
Taken from this record’s own fields, not from reading the paper. The grade is assigned from the abstract’s wording; what that means.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Bonomi, S., Lu, R., Schindler, S. E., Bui, Q., Lah, J. J., Wolk, D., et al. (2024). Relationships of Cognitive Measures with Cerebrospinal Fluid but Not Imaging Biomarkers of Alzheimer Disease Vary between Black and White Individuals. Annals of neurology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.26838
Vancouver
Bonomi S, Lu R, Schindler SE, Bui Q, Lah JJ, Wolk D, et al. Relationships of Cognitive Measures with Cerebrospinal Fluid but Not Imaging Biomarkers of Alzheimer Disease Vary between Black and White Individuals. Annals of neurology. 2024. doi:10.1002/ana.26838. PMID: 38038976.
BibTeX
@article{bonomi2024-38038976,
author = {Bonomi, S. and Lu, R. and Schindler, S. E. and Bui, Q. and Lah, J. J. and Wolk, D. and Gleason, C. E. and Sperling, R. and others},
title = {{Relationships of Cognitive Measures with Cerebrospinal Fluid but Not Imaging Biomarkers of Alzheimer Disease Vary between Black and White Individuals}},
journal = {Annals of neurology},
year = {2024},
doi = {10.1002/ana.26838},
pmid = {38038976},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.26838}
}
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Key findings
- Results The harmonized dataset included at least one biomarker measurement from 495 Black and 2,600 White participants.
Why it matters
In this harmonized dataset of 495 Black and 2,600 White participants, some cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers and their correlations with cognitive measures differed between groups. The study concerns how biomarkers relate to cognition across groups and does not test a treatment, cure or prevention.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Blood tests & biomarkers →
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 50/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Annals of neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Annals of Neurology: journal h-index 437 (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 | 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 | 4 / 5 | 2024 — within 3 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 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 3 / 7 | Cited 20 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 5.0 citations a year over 4 year(s) since 2024 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 20 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Chengjie Xiong: h-index 52 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Harvard University: institution h-index 3,235 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 10 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 38038976) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 50 / 100 | — |
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