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Each study has a usefulness score out of 100 (rubric version 4.0). Tap a score to see what makes it up.

Highest usefulness score first. Studies without a score come last.

  1. Plasma tau biomarkers are distinctly associated with tau tangles and decreased with Lewy body pathology

    ✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 46 out of 100. Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association 2025-08-01 Biomarkers

    Understanding how plasma tau biomarkers are influenced by co-pathologies and comorbidities is crucial for their accurate implementation.

    Why it matters

    In 102 brain donors, plasma p-tau217 was associated with neurofibrillary tangles, and plasma tau levels decreased as Lewy body pathology progressed. This is a postmortem correlation study and does not test any treatment, cure, or prevention for Alzheimer's disease.

  2. Glymphatic activity in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia: Link with vascular function and astrocytic activation

    ✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 46 out of 100. Alzheimer s & Dementia 2025-08-01 Lewy body dementia

    Glymphatic activity in bvFTD correlated strongly with vascular dysfunction and astrocytic activation, and was associated with brain changes and clinical severity.

    Why it matters

    In behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia, glymphatic activity was strongly linked to vascular dysfunction and astrocyte activation, and these factors together related to brain changes and clinical severity. The findings describe complex relationships among these mechanisms but do not test or offer a treatment.

  3. Diabetes is a significant modifiable risk factor for cognitive dysfunction.

    Why it matters

    This is a protocol for a randomized trial comparing liraglutide, empagliflozin, and linagliptin for achieving mild cognitive impairment remission in people with type 2 diabetes. It has not yet produced results, so it cannot yet say whether any of these drugs treat, cure, or prevent Alzheimer's disease.

  4. Plasma placental growth factor as a biomarker for subcortical ischemic vascular dementia and its cognitive correlation mediated by white matter hyperintensities

    ✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 46 out of 100. Alzheimer s & Dementia 2025-07-01 Vascular contributions

    The plasma PlGF level was significantly elevated in patients with SIVD compared with CUCs, and showed a high accuracy with an area under the curve of 0.893.

    Why it matters

    Plasma placental growth factor was higher in people with subcortical ischemic vascular dementia and was linked to worse cognition, partly through white matter hyperintensity volume. This is a potential diagnostic biomarker, not a treatment, and the study does not show that targeting it changes disease course.

  5. The exposome and pancreatic cancer, lifestyle and environmental risk factors for PDAC

    ✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 46 out of 100. Seminars in Cancer Biology 2025-05-12 Prevention and risk

    Pancreatic cancer (PC), particularly pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), is a significant global health issue with high mortality rates.

    Why it matters

    This review is about the exposome and pancreatic cancer, including lifestyle and environmental risk factors for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. It does not address Alzheimer's disease.

  6. TDP-43 seeding activity in the olfactory mucosa of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

    ✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 46 out of 100. Molecular Neurodegeneration 2025-04-26 Brain tissue and pathology

    TDP-43_SAA was positive in 29/65 patients with sporadic MND, 9/21 patients with genetic MND, 6/17 OND patients and 3/22 controls.

    Why it matters

    TDP-43 seeding activity was detected in olfactory mucosa from some patients with motor neuron disease, and plasma TDP-43 levels were higher in sporadic MND patients than controls and decreased as disease progressed. The authors state further research is needed, and this is a biomarker study, not a treatment or cure.

  7. White matter hyperintensity tissue property spatial variations as a function of cognitive status in Parkinson’s disease

    ✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 46 out of 100. NeuroImage 2025-04-23 Vascular contributions

    • Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and cognitive impairment demonstrated a significantly greater burden of white matter hyperintensities (WMH), with the highest burden observed in those with PD dementia.

    Why it matters

    In people with Parkinson's disease, greater amounts of white matter hyperintensities were linked to worse cognitive scores, with the highest burden in those who had Parkinson's disease dementia. This is an observational study, so it cannot show whether these brain changes cause the cognitive problems or how to treat them.

  8. Gut microbiota and associated metabolites: key players in high-fat diet-induced chronic diseases

    ✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 46 out of 100. Gut Microbes 2025-04-22 Prevention and risk

    Excessive intake of dietary fats is strongly associated with an increased risk of various chronic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, hepatic metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease, chronic intestinal inflammation, and certain cancers.

    Why it matters

    This review is about how high-fat diets affect gut bacteria and chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, not Alzheimer's disease, so it provides no information on Alzheimer's treatment, cure or prevention. It suggests probiotics as a possible add-on therapy for the effects of high-fat diets.

  9. Differential miRNA expression in neural-enriched extracellular vesicles as potential biomarker for frontotemporal dementia and bipolar disorder

    ✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 46 out of 100. Neurobiology of Disease 2025-03-08 Lewy body dementia

    Behavioral variant of Frontotemporal Dementia (bvFTD) and Bipolar Disorder (BD) share overlapping symptoms, complicating diagnosis.

    Why it matters

    This study found that miRNA signatures in neural-enriched extracellular vesicles can differentiate behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia from bipolar disorder, especially in C9orf72-related cases. The authors state that further research is needed to validate these findings and explore their clinical application, so this is not yet a treatment or cure.

  10. Astrocyte glypican 5 regulates synapse maturation and stabilization

    ✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 46 out of 100. Cell Reports 2025-03-01 Inflammation and the immune system

    The maturation and stabilization of appropriate synaptic connections is a vital step in neural circuit development; however, the molecular signals underlying these processes are not fully understood.

    Why it matters

    In mice, astrocyte glypican 5 was required for normal synapse maturation and stabilization, and its absence caused structural and functional changes in brain connections. The authors note implications for disorders with altered synaptic function including Alzheimer's disease, but this is animal work and does not show a treatment.

  11. Disproportionately Enlarged Subarachnoid-Space Hydrocephalus on MRI in Pathologically Confirmed Progressive Supranuclear Palsy

    ✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 46 out of 100. Neurology Clinical Practice 2025-02-20 Brain scans and imaging

    = 0.120). These findings suggest that DESH and high EI, often considered biomarkers for iNPH, may lack specificity and may be found in a subset of patients with PSP or LBD leading to unnecessary neurosurgery for iNPH.

    Why it matters

    This study found that DESH and high Evan's index, which are often considered biomarkers for idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus, may also appear in some patients with progressive supranuclear palsy or Lewy body dementia. This lack of specificity could lead to unnecessary neurosurgery for idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus.

  12. Multi-functional role of apolipoprotein E in neurodegenerative diseases

    ✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 46 out of 100. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience 2025-01-29 Disease mechanisms

    Genetic diversity in the apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene has been identified as the major susceptibility genetic risk factor for sporadic Alzheimer’s disease (SAD).

    Why it matters

    This review states that the ApoE ε4 allele is a major risk factor for sporadic Alzheimer's disease while the ε2 allele is protective, and that ApoE affects amyloid clearance, tau pathology, and microglial responses. It summarizes existing knowledge and does not report a proven treatment, cure, or prevention.

  13. Inhaled xenon modulates microglia and ameliorates disease in mouse models of amyloidosis and tauopathy

    ✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 46 out of 100. Science Translational Medicine 2025-01-15 Inflammation and the immune system

    Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder.

    Why it matters

    In mouse models of amyloidosis and tauopathy, inhaled xenon changed microglia to an intermediate activation state, increased amyloid plaque compaction, reduced brain atrophy and neuroinflammation, and improved nest-building behavior. The authors say these results support translating xenon inhalation as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease, but this has not yet been shown in people.

  14. Neuraminidase 1 regulates neuropathogenesis by governing the cellular state of microglia via modulation of Trem2 sialylation

    ✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 46 out of 100. Cell reports 2025-01-14 Tau biomarkers

    Neuraminidase 1 (NEU1) cleaves terminal sialic acids from sialoglycoproteins in endolysosomes and at the plasma membrane.

    Why it matters

    This laboratory work describes how the enzyme Neu1 affects microglia by changing sialylation of the Trem2 receptor. It is basic cell research about a possible mechanism and does not test any treatment in people.

  15. Lipid droplet accumulation mediates macrophage survival and Treg recruitment via the CCL20/CCR6 axis in human hepatocellular carcinoma

    ✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 46 out of 100. Cellular & molecular immunology 2024-06-28 TREM2 and immune genetics

    Metabolic changes play a crucial role in determining the status and function of macrophages, but how lipid reprogramming in macrophages contributes to tumor progression is not yet fully understood.

    Why it matters

    This study is about lipid-laden macrophages in human liver cancer, not Alzheimer's disease. It found these cells were linked to disease progression in liver cancer patients, but it provides no information on treating, curing or preventing Alzheimer's disease.

  16. Microglia, Trem2, and Neurodegeneration

    ✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 46 out of 100. The Neuroscientist : a review journal bringing neurobiology, neurology and psychiatry 2024-05-20 TREM2 and immune genetics

    Microglia are a specialized type of neuroimmune cells that undergo morphological and molecular changes through multiple signaling pathways in response to pathological protein aggregates, neuronal death, tissue injury, or infections.

    Why it matters

    This review states that human TREM2 mutations are associated with an increased risk of developing Alzheimer disease and that Trem2 plays dual roles in neuroinflammation and in disease-associated microglia. It reports no treatment tested in patients.

  17. Microglial senescence contributes to female-biased neuroinflammation in the aging mouse hippocampus: implications for Alzheimer's disease

    ✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 46 out of 100. Journal of neuroinflammation 2023-08-16 TREM2 and immune genetics

    Microglia, the brain's principal immune cells, have been implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), a condition shown to affect more females than males.

    Why it matters

    In aging mouse hippocampus, this study found female-biased neuroinflammation and microglial senescence. This is early animal work on aging and sex differences and does not show that any treatment prevents or cures Alzheimer's disease in people.

  18. TREM2: Potential therapeutic targeting of microglia for Alzheimer's disease

    ✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 46 out of 100. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie 2023-07-28 TREM2 and immune genetics

    Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease, resulting in the loss of cognitive ability and memory.

    Why it matters

    TREM2 is a receptor found mainly on microglia, the brain's immune cells, and the review describes it as helping those cells grow, survive, move and clear away toxic substances and abnormal proteins. It reports that "the current academic view" sees TREM2 as protective in Alzheimer's, which makes it a candidate drug target at a time when, the authors note, most drugs "only provide symptom relief". This is a review of existing research: it names no tested treatment and reports no new results in patients.

  19. LILRB2-mediated TREM2 signaling inhibition suppresses microglia functions

    ✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 46 out of 100. Molecular neurodegeneration 2022-06-18 TREM2 and immune genetics

    Microglia plays crucial roles in Alzheimer's disease (AD) development.

    Why it matters

    This study found that LILRB2 can negatively regulate TREM2 signaling and suppress microglia functions, and generated antagonistic LILRB2 antibodies to study these interactions. These are laboratory findings about microglial signaling and do not yet show a treatment, cure or prevention for Alzheimer's disease.

  20. Immunosuppressive TREM2(+) macrophages are associated with undesirable prognosis and responses to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer

    ✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 46 out of 100. Cancer immunology, immunotherapy : CII 2022-03-12 TREM2 and immune genetics

    Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has been improving patient outcomes of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but its effectiveness is highly subjective to individual tumor microenvironment.

    Why it matters

    This study is about non-small cell lung cancer and found that immunosuppressive TREM2-positive macrophages were linked to worse prognosis and poorer responses to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. It has no relevance to treating, curing, or preventing Alzheimer's disease.

  21. Long-term running exercise improves cognitive function and promotes microglial glucose metabolism and morphological plasticity in the hippocampus of APP/PS1 mice

    ✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 46 out of 100. Journal of neuroinflammation 2022-02-05 TREM2 and immune genetics

    The role of physical exercise in the prevention of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been widely studied.

    Why it matters

    In APP/PS1 mice, long-term running exercise improved cognitive function and promoted microglial glucose metabolism and morphological plasticity in the hippocampus. It is an animal study, so it does not prove that exercise prevents or treats Alzheimer's disease in people.

  22. Progranulin as a therapeutic target in neurodegenerative diseases

    ✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 46 out of 100. Trends in pharmacological sciences 2022-01-15 Inflammation and the immune system

    Progranulin (PGRN, encoded by the GRN gene) plays a key role in the development, survival, function, and maintenance of neurons and microglia in the mammalian brain.

    Why it matters

    This review describes progranulin's roles in neurons and microglia and notes that mutations reducing progranulin increase the risk of Alzheimer's and other diseases. It identifies a possible therapeutic target but reports no treatment that has been shown to cure or prevent Alzheimer's disease.

  23. Microglial-glucocorticoid receptor depletion alters the response of hippocampal microglia and neurons in a chronic unpredictable mild stress paradigm in female mice

    ✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 46 out of 100. Brain, behavior, and immunity 2021-07-31 TREM2 and immune genetics

    Chronic psychological stress is one of the most important triggers and environmental risk factors for neuropsychiatric disorders.

    Why it matters

    This study examines microglial glucocorticoid receptors in female mice under chronic stress, not Alzheimer's disease. It provides no information on treating, curing or preventing Alzheimer's disease.

  24. VAMP-2 is a surrogate cerebrospinal fluid marker of Alzheimer-related cognitive impairment in adults with Down syndrome

    ✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 46 out of 100. Alzheimer's research & therapy 2021-06-28 Down syndrome and Alzheimer's

    There is an urgent need for objective markers of Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related cognitive impairment in people with Down syndrome (DS) to improve diagnosis, monitor disease progression, and assess response to disease-modifying therapies.

    Why it matters

    In cerebrospinal fluid from 80 adults with Down syndrome, the synaptic protein VAMP-2 correlated with episodic memory, age and other Alzheimer-related markers. This is described as proof-of-concept for a potential marker of cognitive impairment, not a treatment, cure or prevention.

  25. Lysosome dysfunction as a cause of neurodegenerative diseases: Lessons from frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

    ✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 46 out of 100. Neurobiology of disease 2021-03-31 Brain tissue and pathology

    Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are fatal neurodegenerative disorders that are thought to exist on a clinical and pathological spectrum.

    Why it matters

    This review describes how mutations in some genes causing frontotemporal dementia or ALS affect lysosome and endosome-lysosome function, linking lysosome dysfunction to these diseases. It concerns FTD and ALS mechanisms and offers no treatment, cure or prevention for Alzheimer's disease.

From across this topic

10 of the 4,748 studies in this topic, picked by a fixed rule (a hash of each study's address), not by score or date; each page of this list shows a different 10. The same 10 appear here every time.

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