We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
PURITAN MEDICAL

Download Mobile App




Plasma Levels of N-terminal Tau Fragments Predict Likelihood of Cognitive Decline in Elderly Individuals

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 21 Dec 2020
A team of neurodegenerative disease researchers found that higher levels of N-terminal fragment of tau (NT1) in blood samples taken at the beginning of a survey of clinically normal elderly individuals were strongly associated with future risk of cognitive decline and progression to Alzheimer's disease.

The tau proteins are a group of six highly soluble protein isoforms produced by alternative splicing from the MAPT (microtubule-associated protein tau) gene. More...
They have roles primarily in maintaining the stability of microtubules in axons and are abundant in the neurons of the central nervous system (CNS). They are less common elsewhere but are also expressed at very low levels in CNS astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. Pathologies and dementias of the nervous system such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease are associated with tau proteins that have morphed into hyperphosphorylated insoluble aggregates called neurofibrillary tangles. While immunoassays targeting N‐terminal and mid‐region p‐tau181 and p‐tau217 fragments have been available, tools for monitoring levels of NT1 have only recently been developed.

Investigators at Brigham and Women's Hospital (Boston, MA, USA) measured plasma concentrations of NT1 in a large, well-characterized cohort of clinically normal elderly, who were participants in the Harvard Aging Brain Study (HABS). The 236 cognitively normal participants in the study averaged 74 years of age when they entered HABS and were followed for an average of five years. Blood samples were collected in the first year.

Results revealed that plasma NT1 levels at study entry (when all participants were unimpaired) were highly predictive of future cognitive decline, pathological tau accumulation, neurodegeneration, and transition to a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or AD. These predictive effects were particularly strong in participants with even modestly elevated brain beta-amyloid burden at study entry. For the group with the highest NT1 levels, the risk of advancing to MCI or AD dementia was 2.4-fold, suggesting plasma NT1 levels captured very early cognitive, pathologic, and neurodegenerative changes along the path to AD.

Imaging data showed that higher baseline NT1 blood levels were associated with elevated brain levels of beta-amyloid plaques and the accumulation of tau tangles. Furthermore, NT1 was found to be a stronger predictor of cognitive decline than neurofilament light chain (NfL).

"Our findings indicate that measuring a tau fragment in plasma can help predict which elderly people are likely to decline and how quickly they are likely to decline," said senior author Dr. Dennis Selkoe, professor of neurologic diseases at Brigham and Women's Hospital. "We are excited because there are currently no commercially available blood tests to predict risk of AD in still-healthy individuals. Having such a blood test allows us to better screen people for enrollment in AD prevention trials and represents progress toward diagnostic tests for AD in medical care. The NT1 tau fragment may be a reflection of damage to neurons and synapses, allowing us to use blood samples to detect what is happening in a patient's brain years before they begin experiencing symptoms. This could give us an invaluable window of time in which to evaluate interventions for preventing cognitive decline and AD dementia."

The NT1 study was published in the November 27, 2020, online edition of the journal Nature Communications.

Related Links:
Brigham and Women's Hospital


New
Gold Member
Blood Gas Analyzer
Stat Profile pHOx
Serological Pipet Controller
PIPETBOY GENIUS
New
DNA/RNA Extraction/Purification Kit
Nucleic Acid Extraction or Purification Kit
New
Chlamydia Trachomatis Test
Aptima Chlamydia Trachomatis Assay
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








DIASOURCE (A Biovendor Company)

Channels

Hematology

view channel
Image: CitoCBC is the world first cartridge-based CBC to be granted CLIA Waived status by FDA (Photo courtesy of CytoChip)

Disposable Cartridge-Based Test Delivers Rapid and Accurate CBC Results

Complete Blood Count (CBC) is one of the most commonly ordered lab tests, crucial for diagnosing diseases, monitoring therapies, and conducting routine health screenings. However, more than 90% of physician... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: A simple blood test could replace surgical biopsies for early detecion of heart transplant rejection (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

Blood Test Detects Organ Rejection in Heart Transplant Patients

Following a heart transplant, patients are required to undergo surgical biopsies so that physicians can assess the possibility of organ rejection. Rejection happens when the recipient’s immune system identifies... Read more

Pathology

view channel
Image: Pancreatic cancer diagnosis (Photo courtesy of World Journal of Gastroenterology)

AI-Driven Preliminary Testing for Pancreatic Cancer Enhances Prognosis

Pancreatic cancer poses a major global health threat due to its high mortality rate, with 467,409 deaths and 510,992 new cases reported worldwide in 2022. Often referred to as the "king" of all cancers,... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.