Blood tau fragment linked to cognitive decline in older adults
In an observational study of 755 people, the link between a blood marker and cognitive decline varied with a protein associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Limit: Excluding participants missing blood, brain scan, or clinical measures could skew the association
Edited by Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News
The observational study included 755 participants in the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, with an average age of 72.9 years; 50% were women. Researchers measured NT1, a fragment of the tau protein, in blood and examined its links with cognitive tests and brain scans.
NT1 levels were higher in people with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease and were associated with poorer memory. The link between higher NT1 and greater decline in memory and other thinking abilities varied with amyloid, a protein that can accumulate in the brain. Higher NT1 was also associated with a smaller hippocampus, a brain region involved in memory, and faster shrinkage over time. The researchers suggested that NT1 may help assess amyloid-dependent cognitive decline and brain degeneration.
Why it matters
Monitoring Alzheimer’s disease progression calls for measures of changes in thinking and brain structure. Blood markers could offer a less invasive alternative to tests of fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
Caveats
The observational design could identify associations, not cause and effect. The study did not establish whether measuring NT1 improves diagnosis or patient care.
