Cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers predict decline in subjective cognitive function over 3 years in healthy elderly.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers can predict cognitive decline in healthy, elderly individuals as they have been shown to do in cognitively impaired patient samples.


METHODS
In this study, 57 controls were tested for CSF biomarkers at baseline and then cognitively followed over 3 years.


RESULTS
Low levels of baseline beta-amyloid 1-42 (Abeta42) were associated with development of subjective memory impairment affecting quality of life (memQoL), with a worse Mini Mental Status Examination score and with inability to live in regular housing at follow-up (p < 0.05). The combination of baseline Abeta42 and phosphorylated tau (P-tau) was found to predict development of pathological memQoL with a sensitivity of 71.4% and a specificity of 75.7 (<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Low Abeta42 and combined Abeta42 and P-tau predicted subjective cognitive decline in healthy individuals. In summary, this study shows that already in the clinically normal population Alzheimer-disease-related biological signs might be detectable.
Stomrud
Erik
E
Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences Malmo, Lund University, University Hospital MAS, Malmo, Sweden. erik.stomrud@med.lu.se
Hansson
Oskar
O
Blennow
Kaj
K
Minthon
Lennart
L
Londos
Elisabet
E
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013548:Sweden; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D015415:Biomarkers; C054369:MAPT protein, human; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C075222:amyloid beta-protein (1-42); D016875:tau Proteins