Home › Research › How common it is
The Dementia SomaSignal Test (dSST): A plasma proteomic predictor of 20‐year dementia risk
Michael R. Duggan, Clare Paterson, Yifei Lü, Hannah Biegel, Heather E. Dark, Jenifer Cordon, Murat Bilgel, Naoto Kaneko et al.. Alzheimer s & Dementia, 2025-02-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
In addition to outperforming existing plasma biomarkers, the dSST predicted mid-life dementia risk over a 20-year follow-up across two independent cohorts with different ethnic backgrounds (areas under the curve [AUCs]: dSST 0.68-0.70, dSST+age 0.75-0.81). In a separate cohort, the dSST was associated with longitudinal declines across multiple cognitive domains, accelerated brain atrophy, and elevated measures of neuropathology (as evidenced by positron emission tomography and plasma biomarkers). The dSST is a cost-effective, scalable, and minimally invasive protein-based prognostic aid that can quantify risk up to two decades before dementia onset. HIGHLIGHTS: The Dementia SomaSignal Test (dSST) predicts 20-year dementia risk across two independent cohorts. dSST outperforms existing plasma biomarkers in predicting multi-decade dementia risk. dSST predicts cognitive decline and accelerated brain atrophy in a third cohort. dSST is a prognostic aid that can predict dementia risk over two decades.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Duggan, M. R., Paterson, C., Lü, Y., Biegel, H., Dark, H. E., Cordon, J., et al. (2025). The Dementia SomaSignal Test (dSST): A plasma proteomic predictor of 20‐year dementia risk. Alzheimer s & Dementia. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.14549
Vancouver
Duggan MR, Paterson C, Lü Y, Biegel H, Dark HE, Cordon J, et al. The Dementia SomaSignal Test (dSST): A plasma proteomic predictor of 20‐year dementia risk. Alzheimer s & Dementia. 2025. doi:10.1002/alz.14549. PMID: 39936291.
BibTeX
@article{duggan2025-39936291,
author = {Duggan, Michael R. and Paterson, Clare and Lü, Yifei and Biegel, Hannah and Dark, Heather E. and Cordon, Jenifer and Bilgel, Murat and Kaneko, Naoto and others},
title = {{The Dementia SomaSignal Test (dSST): A plasma proteomic predictor of 20‐year dementia risk}},
journal = {Alzheimer s \& Dementia},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1002/alz.14549},
pmid = {39936291},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.14549}
}
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
- In addition to outperforming existing plasma biomarkers, the dSST predicted mid-life dementia risk over a 20-year follow-up across two independent cohorts with different ethnic backgrounds (areas under the curve [AUCs]: dSST 0.68-0.70, dSST+age 0.75-0.81).
- In a separate cohort, the dSST was associated with longitudinal declines across multiple cognitive domains, accelerated brain atrophy, and elevated measures of neuropathology (as evidenced by positron emission tomography and plasma biomarkers).
- The dSST is a cost-effective, scalable, and minimally invasive protein-based prognostic aid that can quantify risk up to two decades before dementia onset.
- HIGHLIGHTS: The Dementia SomaSignal Test (dSST) predicts 20-year dementia risk across two independent cohorts. dSST outperforms existing plasma biomarkers in predicting multi-decade dementia risk. dSST predicts cognitive decline and accelerated brain atrophy in a third cohort. dSST is a prognostic aid that can predict dementia risk over two decades.
Why it matters
A plasma protein test predicted dementia risk up to 20 years later and was associated with cognitive decline and brain atrophy. This test could serve as a minimally invasive prognostic aid, though it is not yet a treatment or cure.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Alzheimer's in numbers →
Study details
- Study designlongitudinal study
- Participants11,277
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 59/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a longitudinal study following the same people over 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 (Alzheimer s & Dementia) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Alzheimer s & Dementia: journal h-index 228 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A longitudinal study following the same people over 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 | 4 / 4 | 11,277 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 | 2 / 7 | Cited 8 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 5.1× 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 | 1 / 4 | Cited 8 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Keenan A. Walker: h-index 41 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | National Institutes of Health: institution h-index 2,723 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 14 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 39936291) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 59 / 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).
Related
Studies in the library that share something with this one. The line above each title says what.
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here. Showing 12 of 18.
Related studies in How common it is
Also tagged “incidence”
1,084 studies in the library carry the topic tag “incidence”; these are this study's neighbours in a fixed, alphabetical-by-hash tour of them, not the closest in content. All 1,084 tagged studies.