The Lancet. Neurology

Blood markers predicting brain amyloid and tau buildup and thinking decline over time in people with Down syndrome

Updated

Abstract

Baseline p-tau217 is associated with a hazard ratio of 3.51 for progression to dementia in individuals with Down syndrome.

  • Baseline levels of p-tau217, GFAP, neurofilament light (NfL), and total tau (t-tau) were individually linked to changes in cognitive functioning and Alzheimer's disease-related pathology.
  • In combined models, only baseline p-tau217 showed significant associations with declines in global cognition, tau-PET results, and dementia progression.
  • Both baseline p-tau217 and GFAP were associated with changes in amyloid β (Aβ) accumulation.
  • Longitudinal measurements of p-tau217 and GFAP also correlated with cognitive decline and increased tau burden over time.
  • These findings indicate the potential utility of plasma biomarkers p-tau217 and GFAP for assessing Alzheimer's disease in individuals with Down syndrome.

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Funding

Competing interests

Declaration of interests LEC has received research support from GE Healthcare, Life Molecular Imaging, and Springer Healthcare (funded by Eli Lilly), both paid to their institution. LEC's salary is supported by the MSCA postdoctoral fellowship research grant (grant number 101108819) and the Alzheimer Association Research Fellowship grant (grant number 23AARF-1029663). NM-C has received consultancy fees from Biogen, Eli Lilly, Merck, and Owkin in the past 2 years. SJ reports grants from Swedish Alzheimer Foundation, Kockska Foundations, and Foundation for Gamla Tjänarinnor. BMA, CML, and EH report funding from the NIH. EH reports funding from the Brightfocus and consulting fees from Cyclo Therapeutics, Alzheon, and Elsevier. SLH reports consulting from Ionis Pharmauticals and being a Chair of Alzheimer's Association Down Syndrome Professional Interest Area. SHZ reports funding from Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Foundation NHS Trust, UK and support for attending meetings and travel. MM reports royalties from University of Rochester, consulting fees from NovoGlia and Ireneo Health, and several US patents. BDC reports support from Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers Program, Eunice Kennedy Shriver Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Centers Program, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Centralized Repository for Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias, DS-Connect (The Down Syndrome Registry), NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Windsor Research Unit, CPFT, and Fulbourn Hospital Cambridge, UK and consulting fees from Alnylam. SLH reports consulting from Ionis Pharmauticals. BLH reports receipt of speaker's fees, royalties from two books. RO received research funding and support from Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Janssen Research & Development, Roche, Quanterix, and Optina Diagnostics; has given lectures in symposia sponsored by GE Healthcare; received speaker fees from Springer; is an advisory board member for Asceneuron; and is a steering committee member for Biogen and Bristol Myers Squibb; all the aforementioned funding has been paid to his institutions. OH is an employee of Lund University and Eli Lilly. All other authors declare no competing interests.
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