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The relationship between neurofilament light chain and depressive symptoms according to cognitive status
Federico Bellelli, Jérémy Raffin, Davide Angioni, Julie Romana, María Soto, Julien Delrieu, Philipe De Souto Barreto, for the MAPT/DSA study group. Alzheimer s & Dementia Translational Research & Clinical Interventions, 2025-04-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
= 0.81). NfL levels were not significantly associated with GDS-15 in a population of community-dwelling older adults without dementia. Although no significant CDR-NfL interaction was detected, exploratory analyses suggest that plasma NfL might be associated with GDS-15 scores only among people with a CDR 0.5 (indicative of mild cognitive impairment). Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to elucidate the potential biological differences in depressive symptoms across different cognitive statuses. Highlights: Plasma neurofilament light (NfL) levels might be associated with 15-Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) scores only among people with Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) 0.5 (indicative of mild cognitive impairment [MCI]), but not among those with CDR 0 (normal cognition).Depressive symptoms arising in the context of cognitive impairment may represent a distinct clinical entity compared to those observed in individuals with normal cognitive functioning.Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to elucidate potential biological differences in depressive symptoms across varying cognitive statuses (unimpaired cognition, MCI, and dementia).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Bellelli, F., Raffin, J., Angioni, D., Romana, J., Soto, M., Delrieu, J., et al. (2025). The relationship between neurofilament light chain and depressive symptoms according to cognitive status. Alzheimer s & Dementia Translational Research & Clinical Interventions. https://doi.org/10.1002/trc2.70048
Vancouver
Bellelli F, Raffin J, Angioni D, Romana J, Soto M, Delrieu J, et al. The relationship between neurofilament light chain and depressive symptoms according to cognitive status. Alzheimer s & Dementia Translational Research & Clinical Interventions. 2025. doi:10.1002/trc2.70048. PMID: 40352263.
BibTeX
@article{bellelli2025-40352263,
author = {Bellelli, Federico and Raffin, Jérémy and Angioni, Davide and Romana, Julie and Soto, María and Delrieu, Julien and Barreto, Philipe De Souto and {MAPT/DSA study group}},
title = {{The relationship between neurofilament light chain and depressive symptoms according to cognitive status}},
journal = {Alzheimer s \& Dementia Translational Research \& Clinical Interventions},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1002/trc2.70048},
pmid = {40352263},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/trc2.70048}
}
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 names 8 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- NfL levels were not significantly associated with GDS-15 in a population of community-dwelling older adults without dementia.
- Although no significant CDR-NfL interaction was detected, exploratory analyses suggest that plasma NfL might be associated with GDS-15 scores only among people with a CDR 0.5 (indicative of mild cognitive impairment).
- Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to elucidate the potential biological differences in depressive symptoms across different cognitive statuses.
- Highlights: Plasma neurofilament light (NfL) levels might be associated with 15-Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) scores only among people with Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) 0.5 (indicative of mild cognitive impairment [MCI]), but not among those with CDR 0 (normal cognition).Depressive symptoms arising in the context of cognitive impairment may represent a distinct clinical entity compared to those observed in individuals with normal cognitive functioning.Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to elucidate potential biological differences in depressive symptoms across varying cognitive statuses (unimpaired cognition, MCI, and dementia).
Why it matters
Plasma NfL was not significantly associated with depressive symptoms in community-dwelling older adults without dementia, with only exploratory signals in those with mild cognitive impairment. This is a cross-sectional finding and does not inform treatment, cure or prevention.
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Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Participants512
- Effect size60.2%; or 0.5
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 50/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for 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 48 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 50 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Alzheimer s & Dementia Translational Research & Clinical Interventions) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Alzheimer s & Dementia Translational Research & Clinical Interventions: journal h-index 84 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| 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 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 512 participants |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| 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 4 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 2.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 4 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 | Inserm: institution h-index 1,988 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40352263) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Points | 48 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 48 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 50 out of 100. |
| Total | 50 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1002/trc2.70048
- PubMed: 40352263
- Original source →
- Free full text: Alzheimer s & Dementia Translational Research & Clinical Interventions →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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