Association of plasma biomarkers with cognition, cognitive decline, and daily function across and within neurodegenerative diseases: Results from the Ontario Neurodegenerative Disease Research Initiative.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

We investigated whether novel plasma biomarkers are associated with cognition, cognitive decline, and functional independence in activities of daily living across and within neurodegenerative diseases.

METHODS:

Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), neurofilament light chain (NfL), phosphorylated tau (p-tau)181 and amyloid beta (Aβ)42/40 were measured using ultra-sensitive Simoa immunoassays in 44 healthy controls and 480 participants diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease/mild cognitive impairment (AD/MCI), Parkinson's disease (PD), frontotemporal dementia (FTD) spectrum disorders, or cerebrovascular disease (CVD).

RESULTS:

GFAP, NfL, and/or p-tau181 were elevated among all diseases compared to controls, and were broadly associated with worse baseline cognitive performance, greater cognitive decline, and/or lower functional independence. While GFAP, NfL, and p-tau181 were highly predictive across diseases, p-tau181 was more specific to the AD/MCI cohort. Sparse associations were found in the FTD and CVD cohorts and for Aβ42/40 .

DISCUSSION:

GFAP, NfL, and p-tau181 are valuable predictors of cognition and function across common neurodegenerative diseases, and may be useful in specialized clinics and clinical trials.

• Authors: Erlan Sanchez, Tim Wilkinson, Gillian Coughlan, Saira Mirza, Andrée-Ann Baril, Joel Ramirez, Malcolm A Binns, Sandra E Black, Michael Borrie, Allison A Dilliott, Roger A Dixon, Dar Dowlatshahi, Sali Farhan, Elizabeth Finger, Corinne E Fischer, Andrew Frank, Morris Freedman, Rafaella A Goncalves, David A Grimes, Ayman Hassan, Robert A Hegele, Sanjeev Kumar, Anthony E Lang, Connie Marras, Paula M McLaughlin, Joseph B Orange, Stephen H Pasternak, Bruce G Pollock, Tarek K Rajji, Angela C Roberts, John F Robinson, Ekaterina Rogaeva, Demetrios J Sahlas, Gustavo Saposnik, Michael J Strong, Richard H Swartz, David F Tang-Wai, Maria Carmela Tartaglia, Angela K Troyer, Hlin Kvartsberg, Henrik Zetterberg, Douglas P Munoz, ONDRI Investigators, Mario Masellis
• Journal: Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association (Alzheimers Dement) Vol. 20 Issue 3 Pg. 1753-1770 (Mar 2024) ISSN: 1552-5279 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 38105605 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2023 The Authors. Alzheimer's & Dementia published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.

Chemical References

• Amyloid beta-Peptides
• Biomarkers
• tau Proteins

Topics

• Humans
• Neurodegenerative Diseases
• Activities of Daily Living
• Amyloid beta-Peptides
• Frontotemporal Dementia
• Ontario
• Cognitive Dysfunction
• Cognition
• Alzheimer Disease
• Biomarkers
• tau Proteins
• Cardiovascular Diseases