Pub Date : 2025-11-06DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.11.002
Etienne Aumont , Brandon J. Hall , Tevy Chan , Lydia Trudel , Gleb Bezgin , Seyyed Ali Hosseini , Joseph Therriault , Arthur C. Macedo , Jaime Fernández Arias , Nesrine Rahmouni , Stijn Servaes , Paolo Vitali , Jenna Stevenson , Vladimir Fonov , Maxime Montembeault , Jesse Klostranec , Yasser Iturria-Medina , Serge Gauthier , Pedro Rosa-Neto , for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) early Braak staging might be susceptible to anatomical variability and atrophy in the medial temporal lobe (MTL) structures. These factors should be accounted for in an optimized atlas to improve staging accuracy. This study aimed to compare the accuracy of early tau detection using traditional standard space methods versus using a native space MTL segmentations. Twelve native space MTL structures were used as regions of interest (ROI) for [18F]MK6240 tau-PET images and compared with standard space Braak stage ROIs for 333 participants aged over 55. We used the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) to assess memory function. Native and standard space tau-PET stage ROIs were compared, then combined with anatomical constraints into an optimized standard space MTL atlas. The native space MTL tau-PET staging identified 34 participants with significantly more advanced tau accumulation. Of these, 14 had significant entorhinal and transentorhinal tau despite being classified as Braak stage I when using the original standard space method (here called pre-I stage). In addition, 19 were classified as Braak stage III despite being at Braak stage II using standard space methods (here called pre-III stage). These pre-III participants displayed a significant memory impairment. We found that a standard space spatial smoothing to 6 mm at FWHM best allowed to replicate native space results, resulting in the optimized atlas identifying 29 of these 33 more advanced cases. Therefore, standard space approaches can be improved to better capture early AD tau pathology and be more sensitive to cognitive impairment.
{"title":"Optimized atlas for early tau-PET staging via native space segmentations","authors":"Etienne Aumont , Brandon J. Hall , Tevy Chan , Lydia Trudel , Gleb Bezgin , Seyyed Ali Hosseini , Joseph Therriault , Arthur C. Macedo , Jaime Fernández Arias , Nesrine Rahmouni , Stijn Servaes , Paolo Vitali , Jenna Stevenson , Vladimir Fonov , Maxime Montembeault , Jesse Klostranec , Yasser Iturria-Medina , Serge Gauthier , Pedro Rosa-Neto , for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative","doi":"10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.11.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.11.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Positron Emission Tomography (PET) early Braak staging might be susceptible to anatomical variability and atrophy in the medial temporal lobe (MTL) structures. These factors should be accounted for in an optimized atlas to improve staging accuracy. This study aimed to compare the accuracy of early tau detection using traditional standard space methods versus using a native space MTL segmentations. Twelve native space MTL structures were used as regions of interest (ROI) for [<sup>18</sup>F]MK6240 tau-PET images and compared with standard space Braak stage ROIs for 333 participants aged over 55. We used the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) to assess memory function. Native and standard space tau-PET stage ROIs were compared, then combined with anatomical constraints into an optimized standard space MTL atlas. The native space MTL tau-PET staging identified 34 participants with significantly more advanced tau accumulation. Of these, 14 had significant entorhinal and transentorhinal tau despite being classified as Braak stage I when using the original standard space method (here called pre-I stage). In addition, 19 were classified as Braak stage III despite being at Braak stage II using standard space methods (here called pre-III stage). These pre-III participants displayed a significant memory impairment. We found that a standard space spatial smoothing to 6 mm at FWHM best allowed to replicate native space results, resulting in the optimized atlas identifying 29 of these 33 more advanced cases. Therefore, standard space approaches can be improved to better capture early AD tau pathology and be more sensitive to cognitive impairment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19110,"journal":{"name":"Neurobiology of Aging","volume":"158 ","pages":"Pages 1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145499983","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-04DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.11.001
Caterina Leitner , Dario Arnaldi , Francesca Casoni , Michela Figorilli , Beatrice Orso , Pietro Mattioli , Valter Rustioni , Monica Puligheddu , Luigi De Gennaro , Michele Terzaghi , Luigi Ferini-Strambi , Andrea Galbiati
This multicenter retrospective longitudinal study aims to evaluate the association between electroencephalographic slow oscillations (0.3–1 Hz) and slow waves (1–4 Hz) with cognitive performance, and their impact on phenoconversion in patients affected by isolated rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (iRBD). 69 iRBD patients underwent baseline overnight video-polysomnography, clinical assessment, and a neuropsychological evaluation. Phenoconversion was assessed with a follow-up clinical evaluation. Automatic detection of slow oscillations and slow waves was performed during non-REM sleep stage 2 (N2) and 3 (N3) on frontal and central derivations. Clinical, neuropsychological and electrophysiological measures were compared between converters and non-converters. Correlations were computed between cognitive performance and slow oscillations and slow wave densities, as well as between N2 slow oscillation density and N3 slow/fast wave densities. Time-to-event analyses, including Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards model were performed to assess phenoconversion risk and potential predictors. 30.36 % of patients phenoconverted to an overt alpha-synucleinopathy with a mean follow-up of 45.57 ± 37.26 months. Both slow wave and slow oscillation densities were significantly associated with cognitive performance. Moreover, slow oscillation density in N2 positively correlated with slow oscillation and slow wave density in N3. At baseline, patients who phenoconverted at follow-up showed significantly lower executive function performance and reduced N2 slow oscillation density. In the Cox model including covariates, only executive functions remained a significant predictor. Baseline differences in executive functions may help identify iRBD patients at greater risk of phenoconversion, whereas reduced N2 slow oscillation density may reflect early neurophysiological alterations preceding overt disease.
{"title":"EEG slow waves and cognitive decline in Isolated Rapid Eye Movements Behavior Disorder: A multicenter longitudinal study","authors":"Caterina Leitner , Dario Arnaldi , Francesca Casoni , Michela Figorilli , Beatrice Orso , Pietro Mattioli , Valter Rustioni , Monica Puligheddu , Luigi De Gennaro , Michele Terzaghi , Luigi Ferini-Strambi , Andrea Galbiati","doi":"10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.11.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.11.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This multicenter retrospective longitudinal study aims to evaluate the association between electroencephalographic slow oscillations (0.3–1 Hz) and slow waves (1–4 Hz) with cognitive performance, and their impact on phenoconversion in patients affected by isolated rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (iRBD). 69 iRBD patients underwent baseline overnight video-polysomnography, clinical assessment, and a neuropsychological evaluation. Phenoconversion was assessed with a follow-up clinical evaluation. Automatic detection of slow oscillations and slow waves was performed during non-REM sleep stage 2 (N2) and 3 (N3) on frontal and central derivations. Clinical, neuropsychological and electrophysiological measures were compared between converters and non-converters. Correlations were computed between cognitive performance and slow oscillations and slow wave densities, as well as between N2 slow oscillation density and N3 slow/fast wave densities. Time-to-event analyses, including Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards model were performed to assess phenoconversion risk and potential predictors. 30.36 % of patients phenoconverted to an overt alpha-synucleinopathy with a mean follow-up of 45.57 ± 37.26 months. Both slow wave and slow oscillation densities were significantly associated with cognitive performance. Moreover, slow oscillation density in N2 positively correlated with slow oscillation and slow wave density in N3. At baseline, patients who phenoconverted at follow-up showed significantly lower executive function performance and reduced N2 slow oscillation density. In the Cox model including covariates, only executive functions remained a significant predictor. Baseline differences in executive functions may help identify iRBD patients at greater risk of phenoconversion, whereas reduced N2 slow oscillation density may reflect early neurophysiological alterations preceding overt disease.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19110,"journal":{"name":"Neurobiology of Aging","volume":"157 ","pages":"Pages 119-126"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145467022","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-03DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.10.007
Emily M. Fabrizio-Stover , James W. Dias , Carolyn M. McClaskey , Kelly C. Harris
There is growing evidence that perceptual difficulties associated with age-related hearing loss are not solely due to cochlear damage and are exacerbated by central nervous system changes. We examined electrophysiological (EEG) responses to clicks and diffusion kurtosis imaging in 49 older (29 female) and 26 younger (20 female) adults to determine the extent to which auditory nerve (AN) deficits in older adults contributed to functional and structural changes throughout the auditory system. Older adults exhibited smaller AN responses, similar brainstem responses, and larger auditory cortex (AC) responses, demonstrating progressive “central gain.” Audiometric thresholds were not predictive of EEG measures. Reduced AN function predicted deficits in cortical microstructure (lower AC fractional anisotropy) in older adults, consistent with microstructure degeneration. These lower fractional anisotropy values in the AC of older adults also predicted larger AC responses and more central gain. Older adults exhibited significantly lower AC fractional anisotropy and kurtosis fractional anisotropy coupled with higher mean and radial diffusivity compared to younger adults. AC fractional anisotropy, radial diffusivity, axial diffusivity, and mean diffusivity were all significant predictors of speech-in-noise (SIN) recognition in older adults. The results suggest that reduced afferent input in older adults not only results in functional changes throughout the auditory system consistent with progressive gain but also contributes to deficits in AC structure beyond those explained by age alone, contributing to SIN recognition deficits. Understanding the complex effects of age, reduced AN input, central gain, and AC microstructure on SIN recognition may provide potential therapeutic targets for intervention.
{"title":"Age-related auditory nerve deficits propagate central gain throughout the auditory system: Associations with cortical microstructure and speech recognition","authors":"Emily M. Fabrizio-Stover , James W. Dias , Carolyn M. McClaskey , Kelly C. Harris","doi":"10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.10.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.10.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>There is growing evidence that perceptual difficulties associated with age-related hearing loss are not solely due to cochlear damage and are exacerbated by central nervous system changes. We examined electrophysiological (EEG) responses to clicks and diffusion kurtosis imaging in 49 older (29 female) and 26 younger (20 female) adults to determine the extent to which auditory nerve (AN) deficits in older adults contributed to functional and structural changes throughout the auditory system. Older adults exhibited smaller AN responses, similar brainstem responses, and larger auditory cortex (AC) responses, demonstrating progressive “central gain.” Audiometric thresholds were not predictive of EEG measures. Reduced AN function predicted deficits in cortical microstructure (lower AC fractional anisotropy) in older adults, consistent with microstructure degeneration. These lower fractional anisotropy values in the AC of older adults also predicted larger AC responses and more central gain. Older adults exhibited significantly lower AC fractional anisotropy and kurtosis fractional anisotropy coupled with higher mean and radial diffusivity compared to younger adults. AC fractional anisotropy, radial diffusivity, axial diffusivity, and mean diffusivity were all significant predictors of speech-in-noise (SIN) recognition in older adults. The results suggest that reduced afferent input in older adults not only results in functional changes throughout the auditory system consistent with progressive gain but also contributes to deficits in AC structure beyond those explained by age alone, contributing to SIN recognition deficits. Understanding the complex effects of age, reduced AN input, central gain, and AC microstructure on SIN recognition may provide potential therapeutic targets for intervention.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19110,"journal":{"name":"Neurobiology of Aging","volume":"157 ","pages":"Pages 98-110"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145459128","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-01DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.10.006
Chongzhen Yuan , Long Li , Hsiao-yun Lin , Antonio v. Aubry , Lyonna F. Parise , Carole Morel , Fiona Chen , Jean Wong , Scott J. Russo , Jun Wang
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by progressive cognitive decline driven by complex pathological processes, including tau hyperphosphorylation (p-Tau), amyloid-beta (Aβ) accumulation, and neuroinflammation. In this study, we investigated the effects of two bioactive compounds, dihydrocaffeic acid (DHCA) and malvidin-glucoside (Mal-gluc), targeting inflammation and neuronal activity, respectively, on cognitive function and AD pathology in a mouse model of AD. Our results demonstrate that chronic DHCA/Mal-gluc treatment significantly improves recognition memory in 3xTg-AD mice without reducing p-Tau or Aβ burden. Employing a newly developed whole-brain cFOS and IBA-1 mapping technique, we found that this combination treatment enhances neuronal activity and promotes microglial homeostasis across multiple brain regions in 3xTg-AD mice. These findings underscore the potential of restoring neuronal function and immune homeostasis as a therapeutic approach for AD. Future study will explore the underlying mechanisms and evaluate whether DHCA/Mal-gluc, combined with currently approved Aβ monoclonal therapy, can synergistically prevent or delay AD onset and progression.
{"title":"Targeting neuronal activity and neuroinflammation for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease in a mouse model","authors":"Chongzhen Yuan , Long Li , Hsiao-yun Lin , Antonio v. Aubry , Lyonna F. Parise , Carole Morel , Fiona Chen , Jean Wong , Scott J. Russo , Jun Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.10.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.10.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by progressive cognitive decline driven by complex pathological processes, including tau hyperphosphorylation (p-Tau), amyloid-beta (Aβ) accumulation, and neuroinflammation. In this study, we investigated the effects of two bioactive compounds, dihydrocaffeic acid (DHCA) and malvidin-glucoside (Mal-gluc), targeting inflammation and neuronal activity, respectively, on cognitive function and AD pathology in a mouse model of AD. Our results demonstrate that chronic DHCA/Mal-gluc treatment significantly improves recognition memory in 3xTg-AD mice without reducing p-Tau or Aβ burden. Employing a newly developed whole-brain cFOS and IBA-1 mapping technique, we found that this combination treatment enhances neuronal activity and promotes microglial homeostasis across multiple brain regions in 3xTg-AD mice. These findings underscore the potential of restoring neuronal function and immune homeostasis as a therapeutic approach for AD. Future study will explore the underlying mechanisms and evaluate whether DHCA/Mal-gluc, combined with currently approved Aβ monoclonal therapy, can synergistically prevent or delay AD onset and progression.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19110,"journal":{"name":"Neurobiology of Aging","volume":"157 ","pages":"Pages 111-118"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145467021","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-30DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.10.005
Jessica N. Lingad , Casey R. Vanderlip , Sierra Wright , Lorena Sordo , Elizabeth Head , Craig E.L. Stark
Relationships between Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathologies in cognitively unimpaired adults and in vivo neurometabolic properties measured directly from the hippocampus, a vulnerable region early along the AD continuum, are not well-understood in the earliest stages of AD. In a 3T 1H-MRS study, we assessed age and AD-related changes in estimates of absolute concentrations of neurometabolites in the right hippocampus. Participants included older adults (age range: 60–85, n = 19) primarily cognitively unimpaired (CU, n = 16), as well as some with cognitive impairment (n = 3). All participants previously received a lumbar puncture for AD disease staging from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) AD biomarkers (Aβ42, p-tau181 and t-tau), where all were amyloid positive (A+) and most had subthreshold tau pathology (T-). Hippocampal 1H-MRS metabolites included total N-acetylaspartate (tNAA), myo-inositol (mIns), total creatine (tCr) and total choline (tCho). Regression analyses were performed for assessing relationships among CSF biomarkers, age, and 1H-MRS metabolites measured as tissue-corrected estimates of absolute concentrations (millimoles/kilogram) and as ratios (/tCr and tNAA/mIns). We identified age-related decreases to mIns/tCr, where estimated absolute concentrations revealed that tCr increased while mIns remained stable. Concentrations for tNAA and mIns were positively associated with CSF p-tau181 and t-tau. Levels of tCr and tCho were not associated with any CSF biomarkers. Overall, our results demonstrate that sub-threshold tau pathologies in cognitively unimpaired A+ individuals are associated with hippocampal metabolite changes related to neural metabolism and glial reactivity early in disease progression.
{"title":"Hippocampal 1H-MR spectroscopy metabolites are linked to CSF tau pathology in cognitively unimpaired older adults along the Alzheimer’s continuum","authors":"Jessica N. Lingad , Casey R. Vanderlip , Sierra Wright , Lorena Sordo , Elizabeth Head , Craig E.L. Stark","doi":"10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.10.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.10.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Relationships between Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathologies in cognitively unimpaired adults and in vivo neurometabolic properties measured directly from the hippocampus, a vulnerable region early along the AD continuum, are not well-understood in the earliest stages of AD. In a 3T <sup>1</sup>H-MRS study, we assessed age and AD-related changes in estimates of absolute concentrations of neurometabolites in the right hippocampus. Participants included older adults (age range: 60–85, n = 19) primarily cognitively unimpaired (CU, n = 16), as well as some with cognitive impairment (n = 3). All participants previously received a lumbar puncture for AD disease staging from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) AD biomarkers (Aβ42, p-tau181 and t-tau), where all were amyloid positive (A+) and most had subthreshold tau pathology (T-). Hippocampal <sup>1</sup>H-MRS metabolites included total N-acetylaspartate (tNAA), myo-inositol (mIns), total creatine (tCr) and total choline (tCho). Regression analyses were performed for assessing relationships among CSF biomarkers, age, and <sup>1</sup>H-MRS metabolites measured as tissue-corrected estimates of absolute concentrations (millimoles/kilogram) and as ratios (/tCr and tNAA/mIns). We identified age-related decreases to mIns/tCr, where estimated absolute concentrations revealed that tCr increased while mIns remained stable. Concentrations for tNAA and mIns were positively associated with CSF p-tau181 and t-tau. Levels of tCr and tCho were not associated with any CSF biomarkers. Overall, our results demonstrate that sub-threshold tau pathologies in cognitively unimpaired A+ individuals are associated with hippocampal metabolite changes related to neural metabolism and glial reactivity early in disease progression.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19110,"journal":{"name":"Neurobiology of Aging","volume":"157 ","pages":"Pages 89-97"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145452511","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-28DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.10.004
Gabriel Torrealba-Acosta , Shu Yang , Javier Calvo-Marín , Abhay R. Moghekar , Aida Kamalian , Michael W. Lutz , for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
This study aimed to identify CSF and plasma proteins that mediate the association between age and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease using mediation analysis. By focusing on proteins significantly associated in both CSF and plasma, we sought to identify biomarkers accessible for clinical applications. Proteomic measurements were obtained from CSF and plasma from a cohort of cognitively normal and MCI patients at the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center using Olink Proximity Extension Assay technology. Mediation effects were estimated using single- and multiple-mediator models and validated in three independent datasets: Duke (CSF), ADNI (CSF), and UK Biobank (plasma). Over 3000 proteins in 86 patients were analyzed. Three candidates, leiomodin-1 (LMOD1), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and elastin (ELN), met the criteria for mediation in both CSF and plasma. Multiple mediator models demonstrated a significant combined mediation effect on MCI in CSF (OR: 1.122, 95 % CI: 1.026–1.439) and plasma (OR: 1.142, 95 % CI: 1.058–1.410). Across validation cohorts, GFAP consistently showed significant mediation effects (Duke CSF: OR: 1.114, 95 % CI: 1.069–1.206; ADNI: OR: 1.004, 95 % CI: 1.000–1.009; UK Biobank: OR: 1.030, 95 % CI: 1.026–1.034). In contrast, ELN and LMOD1 demonstrated mediation effects in the discovery dataset but were not consistently reproduced in external cohorts. Our findings highlight GFAP as a robust mediator of age-related risk of cognitive impairment across CSF and plasma, supporting its utility as a practical biomarker. ELN and LMOD1 may represent exploratory candidates reflecting extracellular matrix and vascular processes requiring further validation.
{"title":"Identifying a proteomics signature of cognitive impairment and dementia in blood and cerebrospinal fluid through a mediation analysis framework","authors":"Gabriel Torrealba-Acosta , Shu Yang , Javier Calvo-Marín , Abhay R. Moghekar , Aida Kamalian , Michael W. Lutz , for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative","doi":"10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.10.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.10.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aimed to identify CSF and plasma proteins that mediate the association between age and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease using mediation analysis. By focusing on proteins significantly associated in both CSF and plasma, we sought to identify biomarkers accessible for clinical applications. Proteomic measurements were obtained from CSF and plasma from a cohort of cognitively normal and MCI patients at the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center using Olink Proximity Extension Assay technology. Mediation effects were estimated using single- and multiple-mediator models and validated in three independent datasets: Duke (CSF), ADNI (CSF), and UK Biobank (plasma). Over 3000 proteins in 86 patients were analyzed. Three candidates, leiomodin-1 (LMOD1), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and elastin (ELN), met the criteria for mediation in both CSF and plasma. Multiple mediator models demonstrated a significant combined mediation effect on MCI in CSF (OR: 1.122, 95 % CI: 1.026–1.439) and plasma (OR: 1.142, 95 % CI: 1.058–1.410). Across validation cohorts, GFAP consistently showed significant mediation effects (Duke CSF: OR: 1.114, 95 % CI: 1.069–1.206; ADNI: OR: 1.004, 95 % CI: 1.000–1.009; UK Biobank: OR: 1.030, 95 % CI: 1.026–1.034). In contrast, ELN and LMOD1 demonstrated mediation effects in the discovery dataset but were not consistently reproduced in external cohorts. Our findings highlight GFAP as a robust mediator of age-related risk of cognitive impairment across CSF and plasma, supporting its utility as a practical biomarker. ELN and LMOD1 may represent exploratory candidates reflecting extracellular matrix and vascular processes requiring further validation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19110,"journal":{"name":"Neurobiology of Aging","volume":"157 ","pages":"Pages 79-88"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145418220","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-23DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.10.003
Federica Anastasi , Patricia Genius , Blanca Rodriguez-Fernandez , Chengran Yang , Priyanka Gorijala , Jigyasha Timsina , Felipe Hernández-Villamizar , Luigi Lorenzini , Marta del Campo , Gonzalo Sánchez-Benavides , Carolina Minguillon , Arcadi Navarro , Carlos Cruchaga , Marc Suárez-Calvet , Natalia Vilor-Tejedor
Several studies in mice have identified blood proteins that influence brain aging, yet translating these findings into humans remains challenging. To address this gap, we conducted a systematic review that identified 12 proteins reported to have an aging or rejuvenating effect in murine brains. Using protein quantitative trait loci data, we computed proteomic polygenic risk scores (protPRSs) capturing the lifelong genetic predisposition to higher or lower plasma protein levels and their regulation. We first validated the prediction accuracy of these protPRSs in two independent cohorts: 10 protPRSs in the Knight-ADRC and 7 protPRSs in the ALFA+ cohort significantly predicted their corresponding protein levels, although effect sizes were modest. We then examined their association with cognitive performance in cognitively unimpaired individuals at risk of Alzheimer’s disease of the ALFA+ cohort. Among the protPRSs tested, the metalloproteinase inhibitor 2 (TIMP2) protPRS was significantly associated with better global cognition and episodic memory. These associations were consistent across stratifications by sex, APOE-ε4, and amyloid-β status, although some did not survive multiple testing corrections. TIMP2 protPRS correlated with measured TIMP2 levels, but actual plasma concentrations were not significantly related to cognition. This finding aligns with murine evidence of TIMP2's brain-rejuvenating role. By leveraging genetic predisposition to protein abundance and regulation, protPRSs may provide complementary insight into long-term biological processes not captured by single protein measurements. Our results support TIMP2 as a candidate for further investigation in the context of brain aging and cognitive decline.
{"title":"Proteomic polygenic risk scores of age-related plasma protein levels reveal a role for Metalloproteinase inhibitor 2 (TIMP2) in cognitive performance","authors":"Federica Anastasi , Patricia Genius , Blanca Rodriguez-Fernandez , Chengran Yang , Priyanka Gorijala , Jigyasha Timsina , Felipe Hernández-Villamizar , Luigi Lorenzini , Marta del Campo , Gonzalo Sánchez-Benavides , Carolina Minguillon , Arcadi Navarro , Carlos Cruchaga , Marc Suárez-Calvet , Natalia Vilor-Tejedor","doi":"10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.10.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.10.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Several studies in mice have identified blood proteins that influence brain aging, yet translating these findings into humans remains challenging. To address this gap, we conducted a systematic review that identified 12 proteins reported to have an aging or rejuvenating effect in murine brains. Using protein quantitative trait loci data, we computed proteomic polygenic risk scores (protPRSs) capturing the lifelong genetic predisposition to higher or lower plasma protein levels and their regulation. We first validated the prediction accuracy of these protPRSs in two independent cohorts: 10 protPRSs in the Knight-ADRC and 7 protPRSs in the ALFA+ cohort significantly predicted their corresponding protein levels, although effect sizes were modest. We then examined their association with cognitive performance in cognitively unimpaired individuals at risk of Alzheimer’s disease of the ALFA+ cohort. Among the protPRSs tested, the metalloproteinase inhibitor 2 (TIMP2) protPRS was significantly associated with better global cognition and episodic memory. These associations were consistent across stratifications by sex, <em>APOE</em>-ε4, and amyloid-β status, although some did not survive multiple testing corrections. TIMP2 protPRS correlated with measured TIMP2 levels, but actual plasma concentrations were not significantly related to cognition. This finding aligns with murine evidence of TIMP2's brain-rejuvenating role. By leveraging genetic predisposition to protein abundance and regulation, protPRSs may provide complementary insight into long-term biological processes not captured by single protein measurements. Our results support TIMP2 as a candidate for further investigation in the context of brain aging and cognitive decline.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19110,"journal":{"name":"Neurobiology of Aging","volume":"157 ","pages":"Pages 68-78"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145409655","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-10DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.10.002
Kyriaki Neophytou , Panteleimon Chriskos , Jessica Gallegos , Alexandros Afthinos , Constantine E. Frangakis , Nathan E. Crone , Panagiotis D. Bamidis , Argye E. Hillis , Kyrana Tsapkini
The logopenic variant of PPA (lvPPA) is characterized by impaired single-word retrieval and impaired repetition, which suggests a phonological working memory impairment. Phonological working memory is an essential mechanism for verbal learning; thus, one would expect that the verbal learning skills of this population would be thoroughly investigated. Nonetheless, the relevant research is scarce. As a preliminary investigation aiming to deepen our understanding of verbal learning in lvPPA, we studied how resting-state electroencephalographic (EEG) activity relates to the verbal learning abilities in this group. Specifically, short low-density (i.e., 8 channels, bilaterally) EEG recordings were collected from nine lvPPA individuals at resting-state. Activity at the five frequency bands (delta, theta, alpha, beta, gamma) was extracted and correlated with Sum of Trials performance on the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT). Our results showed a statistically significant association between delta band activity and verbal learning across the brain, particularly in the left parietal region. Specifically, higher delta power (on average across channels, as well as at each of the eight channels separately) was associated with lower RAVLT scores. EEG activity at the other frequency bands did not show a statistically significant association with verbal learning. These findings provide the first insights into the association of resting-state electrophysiological activity with verbal learning in lvPPA. The findings of this preliminary investigation can be used as guiding evidence in future neuromodulation studies to target activity at specific frequency bands for electrical stimulation both in lvPPA, as well as in other populations with similar learning impairments.
{"title":"Verbal learning in logopenic variant Primary Progressive Aphasia: An EEG investigation","authors":"Kyriaki Neophytou , Panteleimon Chriskos , Jessica Gallegos , Alexandros Afthinos , Constantine E. Frangakis , Nathan E. Crone , Panagiotis D. Bamidis , Argye E. Hillis , Kyrana Tsapkini","doi":"10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.10.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.10.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The logopenic variant of PPA (lvPPA) is characterized by impaired single-word retrieval and impaired repetition, which suggests a phonological working memory impairment. Phonological working memory is an essential mechanism for verbal learning; thus, one would expect that the verbal learning skills of this population would be thoroughly investigated. Nonetheless, the relevant research is scarce. As a preliminary investigation aiming to deepen our understanding of verbal learning in lvPPA, we studied how resting-state electroencephalographic (EEG) activity relates to the verbal learning abilities in this group. Specifically, short low-density (i.e., 8 channels, bilaterally) EEG recordings were collected from nine lvPPA individuals at resting-state. Activity at the five frequency bands (delta, theta, alpha, beta, gamma) was extracted and correlated with <em>Sum of Trials</em> performance on the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT). Our results showed a statistically significant association between delta band activity and verbal learning across the brain, particularly in the left parietal region. Specifically, higher delta power (on average across channels, as well as at each of the eight channels separately) was associated with lower RAVLT scores. EEG activity at the other frequency bands did not show a statistically significant association with verbal learning. These findings provide the first insights into the association of resting-state electrophysiological activity with verbal learning in lvPPA. The findings of this preliminary investigation can be used as guiding evidence in future neuromodulation studies to target activity at specific frequency bands for electrical stimulation both in lvPPA, as well as in other populations with similar learning impairments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19110,"journal":{"name":"Neurobiology of Aging","volume":"157 ","pages":"Pages 60-67"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145293142","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-09DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.10.001
Fatemeh Amjadi-Moheb , Sumangali Gobhidharan , Adith Mohan , Perminder S. Sachdev , Anbupalam Thalamuthu , Karen A. Mather
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are emerging as crucial regulators of biological processes and have been implicated in age-related diseases. Few studies have explored age-related circRNA expression in the human brain across the adult lifespan. This study aims to identify age-related differentially expressed circRNAs in human post-mortem dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) samples, a region critically involved in cognition that exhibits early signs of age-related changes. Total RNA sequencing was conducted on a discovery cohort of 67 post-mortem DLPFC samples, from individuals with no neurological disease diagnosis at the time of death (35–103 years). CircRNAs were identified using CIRCexplorer2, with 11,907 circRNAs available for analyses. Linear regression was used to analyse the relationships between circRNA expression and age at death. Replication of the results was performed in an independent neurologically healthy dataset from the CommonMind Consortium (n = 321, age at death: 35–91 years). Co-expression network analysis was performed to identify modules of highly co-expressed circRNAs associated with age. Potential microRNA and RNA-binding protein target sites were predicted. In the discovery dataset, 37 circRNAs were age-associated (FDR <0.05). Seven out of the 37 were successfully replicated. The host genes of replicated age-associated circRNAs are implicated in synapse regulation. Co-expression analysis revealed two circRNA modules significantly correlated with age. We identified 484 microRNA and 99 RNA-binding protein target sites on the replicated circRNAs. In conclusion, seven age-associated circRNAs were identified as important candidates for involvement in post-transcriptional regulatory networks in the DLPFC. Future studies should aim to elucidate their functional roles in brain ageing.
{"title":"Identification of circular RNAs associated with ageing of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex across the adult lifespan","authors":"Fatemeh Amjadi-Moheb , Sumangali Gobhidharan , Adith Mohan , Perminder S. Sachdev , Anbupalam Thalamuthu , Karen A. Mather","doi":"10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.10.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.10.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are emerging as crucial regulators of biological processes and have been implicated in age-related diseases. Few studies have explored age-related circRNA expression in the human brain across the adult lifespan. This study aims to identify age-related differentially expressed circRNAs in human post-mortem dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) samples, a region critically involved in cognition that exhibits early signs of age-related changes. Total RNA sequencing was conducted on a discovery cohort of 67 post-mortem DLPFC samples, from individuals with no neurological disease diagnosis at the time of death (35–103 years). CircRNAs were identified using CIRCexplorer2, with 11,907 circRNAs available for analyses. Linear regression was used to analyse the relationships between circRNA expression and age at death. Replication of the results was performed in an independent neurologically healthy dataset from the CommonMind Consortium (n = 321, age at death: 35–91 years). Co-expression network analysis was performed to identify modules of highly co-expressed circRNAs associated with age. Potential microRNA and RNA-binding protein target sites were predicted. In the discovery dataset, 37 circRNAs were age-associated (FDR <0.05). Seven out of the 37 were successfully replicated. The host genes of replicated age-associated circRNAs are implicated in synapse regulation. Co-expression analysis revealed two circRNA modules significantly correlated with age. We identified 484 microRNA and 99 RNA-binding protein target sites on the replicated circRNAs. In conclusion, seven age-associated circRNAs were identified as important candidates for involvement in post-transcriptional regulatory networks in the DLPFC. Future studies should aim to elucidate their functional roles in brain ageing.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19110,"journal":{"name":"Neurobiology of Aging","volume":"157 ","pages":"Pages 48-59"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145269708","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}