Blood‐based biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease and cognitive function from mid‐ to late life
Xin Wang, Kelly M. Bakulski, Carrie A. Karvonen‐Gutierrez, Sung Kyun Park, David Morgan, Roger L. Albin, Henry L. Paulson- Psychiatry and Mental health
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
- Geriatrics and Gerontology
- Neurology (clinical)
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Health Policy
- Epidemiology
Abstract
Introduction
We investigated associations of Alzheimer's disease (AD) serum biomarkers with longitudinal changes in cognitive function from mid‐ to late life among women.
Methods
The study population included 192 women with the median age of 53.3 years at baseline, from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation Michigan Cohort, followed up over 14 years. Associations between baseline serum amyloid β (Aβ)42, the Aβ42/40 ratio, phosphorylated tau181 (p‐tau181), and total tau with longitudinal changes in cognition were evaluated using linear mixed effects models.
Results
After adjusting for confounders, lower Aβ42/40 ratios were associated with faster declines in the Digit Span Backward Test. Higher p‐tau181 also showed a borderline statistically significant association with more rapid decline in the Symbol Digit Modalities Test.
Discussion
Our findings suggest that mid‐life serum AD biomarkers could be associated with accelerated cognitive decline from mid‐ to late life in women. Future studies with larger samples are needed to validate and extend our findings.
Highlights
This study investigates midlife serum AD biomarkers on longitudinal cognitive function changes in women. Mid‐life serum AD biomarkers are associated with accelerated cognitive decline. A decrease in the Aβ42/40 ratio was associated with a faster decline in the DSB score. A higher p‐tau181 concentration was associated with a faster decline in the SDMT score.