Association of plasma biomarkers, p-tau181, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and neurofilament light, with intermediate and long-term clinical Alzheimer's disease risk: Results from a prospective cohort followed over 17 years

Introduction Blood biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD) are the future of AD risk assessment. The aim of this study was to determine the association between plasma-measured phosphorylated tau (p-tau181), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and neurofilament light (NfL) levels and risk of clinical AD incidence with consideration to the impact of cardiovascular health. Methods Within a community-based cohort, biomarker levels were measured at baseline using single molecule array technology in 768 participants (aged 50-75) followed over 17 years. Associations among biomarkers and AD, vascular dementia, and mixed dementia incidence were assessed. Results GFAP was associated with clinical AD incidence even more than a decade before diagnosis (9-17 years), while p-tau181 and NfL were associated with more intermediate AD risk (within 9 years). Significant interaction was detected between cardiovascular health and p-tau181/NfL. Discussion GFAP may be an early AD biomarker increasing before p-tau181 and NfL and the effect modifying role of cardiovascular health should be considered in biomarker risk stratification.

Automated summary

This study aimed to investigate the association between blood biomarkers and Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk. It found that GFAP may be an early biomarker for AD, while p-tau181 and NfL are associated with intermediate risk. The impact of cardiovascular health on p-tau181 and NfL should be considered in risk stratification.