Cross‐cohort correlation of plasma biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease with cognitive measures in the Global Alzheimer’s Association Interactive Network

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundRecent advances in assay development for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) biomarkers in the blood have led to increased sensitivity and specificity for detecting proteins such as the 42 amino acid amyloid‐beta (Aβ42), total and phosphorylated tau protein (t‐tau and p‐tau, respectively), and neurofilament light (NfL).MethodUsing data available in the Global Alzheimer’s Association Interactive Network (GAAIN), contributed by several studies such as the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle Flagship Study of Ageing (AIBL), the Health and Aging Brain Study: Health Disparities (HABS‐HD), and the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), we correlated AD plasma biomarkers with cognitive diagnosis outcomes in a preliminary analysis. A full study with additional data sets and analysis methods, including controlling for confounding variables such as age, sex, years of education, and co‐existing medical conditions, is planned.ResultUsing logistic regression in the GAAIN Interrogator data analysis tool, we preliminarily found that participants with Aβ42 levels in the upper quartile of all measurements were not associated with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia diagnoses, the upper quartile of t‐tau and p‐tau181 measurements were associated with dementia but not MCI diagnoses, and the upper quartile of NfL measurements were associated with both MCI and dementia diagnoses.ConclusionBlood‐based biomarker assays that detect proteins implicated in Alzheimer’s disease have the potential for early and accurate diagnosis and are less invasive and costly than lumbar punctures for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collection and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. This meta‐analysis contributes to the growing knowledge base of the prognostic utility of blood‐based biomarker assays.