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Tangle and neuron numbers, but not amyloid load, predict cognitive status in Alzheimer's disease
Giannakopoulos P, Herrmann FR, Bussière T, Bouras C, Kövari E, Perl DP, Morrison JH, Gold G et al.. Neurology, 2003-05-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Objective To examine the relationship between stereologic estimates of AD-related pathology and severity of cognitive deficits in brain aging. Background Previous studies reported substantial contributions of neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), amyloid deposits, and neuronal loss to the development of dementia. However, the prediction of cognitive status based on nonstereologic quantification of these measures has led to conflicting results.
Key findings
- Background Previous studies reported substantial contributions of neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), amyloid deposits, and neuronal loss to the development of dementia.
- However, the prediction of cognitive status based on nonstereologic quantification of these measures has led to conflicting results.
- Such studies have measured densities, rather than absolute numbers, and most do not take into account the potential interaction between the above pathologic hallmarks in a global multivariate analysis.
- Methods Clinicopathologic study in 22 elderly cases.
Why it matters
In a clinicopathologic study of 22 elderly cases, the authors report — in the paper's title — that "tangle and neuron numbers, but not amyloid load, predict cognitive status." The study responded to earlier work that had "measured densities, rather than absolute numbers" of these brain changes and had given "conflicting results"; it used stereologic counts instead. The results data are not included in our record, and as a small, after-death association study it cannot show what causes memory loss or how to treat it.
Study details
- Effect size85.4%; 87.8%; 83.7%
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 58/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Neurology: journal h-index 525 (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 | 1 / 5 | 2003 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| 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 | 7 / 7 | Cited 1,122 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 44.9 citations a year over 25 year(s) since 2003 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 11.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 4 / 6 | Cited by 66 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 135 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Patrick R. Hof: h-index 134 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Geneva: institution h-index 1,049 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 12743238) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 58 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000063311.58879.01
- PubMed: 12743238
- Original source →
- Free full text: Archive ouverte UNIGE (University of Geneva) →
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
Giannakopoulos, P., Herrmann, F. R., Bussière, T., Bouras, C., Kövari, E., Perl, D. P., et al. (2003). Tangle and neuron numbers, but not amyloid load, predict cognitive status in Alzheimer's disease. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/01.wnl.0000063311.58879.01
Vancouver
Giannakopoulos P, Herrmann FR, Bussière T, Bouras C, Kövari E, Perl DP, et al. Tangle and neuron numbers, but not amyloid load, predict cognitive status in Alzheimer's disease. Neurology. 2003. doi:10.1212/01.wnl.0000063311.58879.01. PMID: 12743238.
BibTeX
@article{giannakopoulos2003-12743238,
author = {Giannakopoulos, P. and Herrmann, F. R. and Bussière, T. and Bouras, C. and Kövari, E. and Perl, D. P. and Morrison, J. H. and Gold, G. and others},
title = {{Tangle and neuron numbers, but not amyloid load, predict cognitive status in Alzheimer's disease}},
journal = {Neurology},
year = {2003},
doi = {10.1212/01.wnl.0000063311.58879.01},
pmid = {12743238},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/01.wnl.0000063311.58879.01}
}
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