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53/100

✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 53 out of 100. Mild cognitive impairment

Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models

Introduction Amyloid, Tau, and neurodegeneration biomarkers can stage Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Synaptic biomarkers may help track cognition. Methods In cognitively normal controls, Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and AD, we investigated CSF biomarkers in relation to cognitive measures and as predictors of cognitive and global decline. Results There were 90 normal controls (mean age 73.0, 58% women), 57 MCI (mean age 74.3, 35% women), and 46 AD (mean age 70.7, 41% women). CSF Aβ1-42 and Neuronal Pentraxin 2 (NPTX2) were decreased, and CSF Tau, neurogranin, and SNAP25 increased in AD versus controls. Aβ1-42/Tau or NPTX2/Tau discriminated AD and controls best. NPTX2/Tau correlated strongly with cognition in AD and MCI and predicted a 2-3-year decline. We replicated findings in the ADNI cohort. Discussion CSF synaptic biomarkers, particularly NPTX2, which regulates synaptic homeostasis, relate to cognition and predict progression in AD beyond Aβ1-42 and Tau. This is relevant for prognosis and clinical trials.

Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris

APA 7th

Galasko, D., Xiao, M., Xu, D., Smirnov, D., Salmon, D. P., Dewit, N., et al. (2019). Synaptic biomarkers in CSF aid in diagnosis, correlate with cognition and predict progression in MCI and Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's & dementia (New York, N. Y.). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trci.2019.11.002

Vancouver

Galasko D, Xiao M, Xu D, Smirnov D, Salmon DP, Dewit N, et al. Synaptic biomarkers in CSF aid in diagnosis, correlate with cognition and predict progression in MCI and Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's & dementia (New York, N. Y.). 2019. doi:10.1016/j.trci.2019.11.002. PMID: 31853477.

BibTeX

@article{galasko2019-31853477,
  author  = {Galasko, D. and Xiao, M. and Xu, D. and Smirnov, D. and Salmon, D. P. and Dewit, N. and Vanbrabant, J. and Jacobs, D. and others},
  title   = {{Synaptic biomarkers in CSF aid in diagnosis, correlate with cognition and predict progression in MCI and Alzheimer's disease}},
  journal = {Alzheimer's \& dementia (New York, N. Y.)},
  year    = {2019},
  doi     = {10.1016/j.trci.2019.11.002},
  pmid    = {31853477},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trci.2019.11.002}
}

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Key findings

Results There were 90 normal controls (mean age 73.0, 58% women), 57 MCI (mean age 74.3, 35% women), and 46 AD (mean age 70.7, 41% women).
CSF Aβ1-42 and Neuronal Pentraxin 2 (NPTX2) were decreased, and CSF Tau, neurogranin, and SNAP25 increased in AD versus controls.

Why it matters

This study found that certain synaptic proteins measured in cerebrospinal fluid, especially NPTX2, tracked with cognition and predicted decline over 2-3 years in people with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's, beyond amyloid and tau. These markers may be useful for prognosis and clinical trials, but they are measurements, not a treatment.

Study details

Evidence strengthModerate

How this study scored 53/100

Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people 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 51 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 53 out of 100.

Component	Points	Why
Journal tier	9 / 10	Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Alzheimer's & dementia (New York, N. Y.))
Journal's citation record	1 / 4	Alzheimer s & Dementia Translational Research & Clinical Interventions: journal h-index 84 (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	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)
Randomised / blinded	0 / 2	No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Times cited	5 / 7	Cited 136 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10)
Citations per year	3 / 5	15.1 citations a year over 9 year(s) since 2019
Impact for its field and year	4 / 6	Cited 11.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI)
Cited by studies here	3 / 6	Cited by 13 other studies in this library
Still being cited	3 / 4	Cited 52 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	2 / 3	Johns Hopkins University: institution h-index 2,306 (OpenAlex)
Multi-centre collaboration	2 / 3	OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 2 countries
Indexed in PubMed	2 / 2	Indexed in PubMed (PMID 31853477)
Free to read	2 / 2	Free to read
Points	51 / 96	Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 51 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 53 out of 100.
Total	53 / 100	—

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