Year: 2021
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: INTRODUCTION: This study involved a parallel comparison of the diagnostic and longitudinal monitoring potential of plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), total tau (t-tau), phosphorylated tau (p-tau181 and p-tau231), and neurofilament light (NFL) in preclinical Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: Plasma proteins were measured using Simoa assays in cognitively unimpaired older adults (CU), with either absence (Aβ-) or presence (Aβ+) of brain amyloidosis. RESULTS: Plasma GFAP, t-tau, p-tau181, and p-tau231 concentrations were higher in Aβ+ CU compared with Aβ- CU cross-sectionally. GFAP had the highest effect size and area under the curve (AUC) in differentiating between Aβ+ and Aβ- CU; however, no statistically significant differences were observed between the AUCs of GFAP, p-tau181, and p-tau231, but all were significantly higher than the AUC of NFL, and the AUC of GFAP was higher than the AUC of t-tau. The combination of a base model (BM), comprising the AD risk factors, age, sex, and apolipoprotein E gene (APOE) ε4 status with GFAP was observed to have a higher AUC (>90%) compared with the combination of BM with any of the other proteins investigated in the current study. Longitudinal analyses showed increased GFAP and p-tau181 in Aβ+ CU and increased NFL in Aβ- CU, over a 12-month duration. GFAP, p-tau181, p-tau231, and NFL showed significant correlations with cognition, whereas no significant correlations were observed with hippocampal volume. DISCUSSION: These findings highlight the diagnostic and longitudinal monitoring potential of GFAP and p-tau for preclinical AD.
Source: Alzheimer s & Dementia
DOI: 10.1002/alz.12447
Authors: Pratishtha Chatterjee, Steve Pedrini, Nicholas J. Ashton, Michelle Tegg, Kathryn Goozee, Abhay K. Singh, Thomas K. Karikari, Joel Simrén, Eugeen Vanmechelen, Nicola J. Armstrong, Eugene Hone, Prita R. Asih, Kevin Taddei, Vincent Doré, Victor L. Villemagne, Hamid R. Sohrabi, Henrik Zetterberg, Colin L. Masters, Kaj Blennow, Ralph N. Martins
Institutions: Edith Cowan University, Macquarie University, King's College London, Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Gothenburg, The University of Western Australia, Cooperative Research Centre for Mental Health, KaRaMinds, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, ADx NeuroSciences, Curtin University, Flinders University, Austin Hospital, Austin Health, Australian Alzheimer’s Research Foundation, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, University of Pittsburgh, Murdoch University, UK Dementia Research Institute, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, The University of Melbourne, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3196908729