The relationship between lifestyle and serum neurofilament light protein in Huntington's disease.

Travis Cruickshank,Johnny Lo,Mel Ziman,Andrew Govus,Anthony Hannan,Wei‐Peng Teo,Sarah Mason,Danielle Bartlett

doi:10.1002/brb3.1578

Abstract

ObjectivesSerum neurofilament light protein (NfL) is a promising marker of disease onset and progression in Huntington's disease (HD). This study investigated associations between lifestyle factors and NfL levels in HD mutation carriers compared to healthy age‐ and sex‐matched controls.Materials and MethodsParticipants included 29 HD mutation carriers and 15 healthy controls. Associations between serum NfL concentrations and lifestyle factors, including cardiorespiratory fitness, social network size and diversity, physical activity, cognitive reserve, smoking status, and alcohol consumption, were examined using a stepwise multivariable linear regression model.ResultsHigher NfL levels were associated with lower cognitive reserve, social network size and diversity and cardiorespiratory fitness in HD mutation carriers. Group × lifestyle factor effects were observed between lower serum NfL levels and a greater social network diversity.ConclusionThese findings highlight a relationship between lifestyle factors and NfL levels in HD mutations carriers; however, longitudinal studies are required to confirm if these observed relationships persist over time.

Highlights

Neurofilament light protein (NfL) is considered to be a biochemical marker of neuronal damage and shows promise as a measure of disease onset and progression in individuals with Huntington's disease (HD) (Byrne et al, 2017)
Two independent longitudinal investigations have further shown that greater cognitive reserve, education, and body mass index are associated with a reduced rate of gray matter volume loss in striatal brain structures and slower deterioration of clinical decline, function, motor, and cognitive abilities in individuals with premanifest HD (BonnerJackson et al, 2013; Burg et al, 2017; Garcia-Gorro et al, 2019; López-Sendón et al, 2011; Martinez-Horta et al, 2018)
We investigated associations between a myriad of lifestyle factors and NfL levels in HD mutation carriers and compared these associations to age- and sex-matched heathy controls

Summary

Introduction

Neurofilament light protein (NfL) is considered to be a biochemical marker of neuronal damage and shows promise as a measure of disease onset and progression in individuals with Huntington's disease (HD) (Byrne et al, 2017). Two independent longitudinal investigations have further shown that greater cognitive reserve, education, and body mass index are associated with a reduced rate of gray matter volume loss in striatal brain structures and slower deterioration of clinical decline, function, motor, and cognitive abilities in individuals with premanifest HD (BonnerJackson et al, 2013; Burg et al, 2017; Garcia-Gorro et al, 2019; López-Sendón et al, 2011; Martinez-Horta et al, 2018). Together, these findings suggest that lifestyle factors influence the onset and progression of HD. Considering that NfL is a potential biological readout of disease progression (Byrne et al, 2017), it is plausible that lifestyle factors influence levels of NfL and warrant investigation, as NfL has been considered as a biological measure for clinical trials

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