Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39427171›Full record

ArticleAlzheimer's research & therapy2024

Plasma neurofilament light chain as prognostic marker of cognitive decline in neurodegenerative diseases, a clinical setting study.

Karl Götze, Agathe Vrillon, Julien Dumurgier, Sandrine Indart, Marta Sanchez-Ortiz, Hela Slimi, Agathe Raynaud-Simon, Emmanuel Cognat, Matthieu Martinet, Henrik Zetterberg and 5 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Alzheimer's research & therapy, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
16citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

16 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. A multiverse analysis of the logical memory test and plasma biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease.Cortex; a journal devoted to the study of the nervous system and behavior · 2026
    Article
  4. Observational
  5. Review
  6. [Progress on prognostic assessment methods for mild cognitive impairment].Zhejiang da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Zhejiang University. Medical sciences · 2026
    Review
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Review
  12. Article
  13. Observational
  14. Article
  15. Clinical use and reporting of neurofilament quantification in neurological disorders: A global overview.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2025
    Article
  16. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Karl GötzeDepartment of Geriatrics, Bichat Hospital (GHU AP-HP.Nord, Paris), Université Paris-Cité, 75018, Paris, France. karl.gotze@aphp.fr.
Agathe VrillonInserm Unit UMR S-1144, Paris, France.
Julien DumurgierCognitive Neurology Center, Lariboisière Hospital (GHU AP-HP.Nord, Paris), 200 rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, 75010, Paris, France.
Sandrine IndartCognitive Neurology Center, Lariboisière Hospital (GHU AP-HP.Nord, Paris), 200 rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, 75010, Paris, France.
Marta Sanchez-OrtizCognitive Neurology Center, Lariboisière Hospital (GHU AP-HP.Nord, Paris), 200 rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, 75010, Paris, France.
Hela SlimiCognitive Neurology Center, Lariboisière Hospital (GHU AP-HP.Nord, Paris), 200 rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, 75010, Paris, France.
Agathe Raynaud-SimonDepartment of Geriatrics, Bichat Hospital (GHU AP-HP.Nord, Paris), Université Paris-Cité, 75018, Paris, France.
Emmanuel CognatInserm Unit UMR S-1144, Paris, France.
Matthieu MartinetInserm Unit UMR S-1144, Paris, France.
Henrik ZetterbergDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Physiology and Neuroscience, University of Gothenburg, S-431 80, Mölndal, Sweden.
Kaj BlennowDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Physiology and Neuroscience, University of Gothenburg, S-431 80, Mölndal, Sweden.
Claire HourrègueCognitive Neurology Center, Lariboisière Hospital (GHU AP-HP.Nord, Paris), 200 rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, 75010, Paris, France.
Elodie Bouaziz-AmarInserm Unit UMR S-1144, Paris, France.
Claire Paquet *Inserm Unit UMR S-1144, Paris, France.
Matthieu Lilamand *Inserm Unit UMR S-1144, Paris, France.

Funding

Alzheimer 's association 2022-2025 Grant SG-23-1038904Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation 201809European Union Horizon Europe research and innovation program 101053962European Union joint program JPND2021-00694European union joint programfor neurodegenerative disorders JPND2019-466-236Hjärnfonden ALZ2022-00066Horizon 2020 860197Swedish Alzheimer foundation AF-930351Swedish research council 2022-0732Swedish research council 2023-00356
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAnalysis of selected research cohorts has highlighted an association between plasma neurofilament light (NfL) protein and cross-sectional cognitive impairment as well as longitudinal cognitive decline. However, the findings have yielded inconsistent results regarding its possible application in clinical practice. Despite its potential prognostic significance, the role of plasma NfL in daily clinical practice with unselected patients suffering from cognitive impairment remains largely unexplored.

methodsThis retrospective, cross-sectional and longitudinal monocentric study enrolled 320 patients with Alzheimer's disease ([AD], n = 158), dementia with Lewy body ([DLB], n = 30), frontotemporal dementia ([FTD], n = 32), non-neurodegenerative diseases ([NND], n = 59) or subjective cognitive decline ([SCD], n = 41). Plasma NfL levels were measured at baseline on the Simoa platform. AD, DLB, and FTD patients were also analyzed altogether as a 'degenerative conditions' subgroup, whereas SCD and NND were grouped as a 'non-degenerative conditions' subgroup. We assessed the relationship between plasma NfL levels and cross-sectional cognitive performance, including global cognition and six specific cognitive domains. A subset of 239 patients had follow-up mini-mental state examinations (MMSE) up to 60 months. Models were adjusted on age, education level, glomerular filtration rate and body mass index.

resultsIn 320 patients, baseline plasma NfL levels were negatively associated with global cognition (β=-1.28 (-1.81 ; -0.75) P < 0.001), memory (β=-1.48 (-2.38 ; -0.59), P = 0.001), language (β=-1.72(-2.49 ; -0.95) P < 0.001), praxis (β=-2.02 (-2.91 ; -1.13) P < 0.001) and executive functions (β=-0.81, P < 0.001). Across diagnosis, plasma NfL levels were negatively associated with cross-sectional global cognition in all but the SCD subgroup, specifically with executive functions and memory in AD (respectively β=-0.71(-1.21 ; -0.211), P = 0.005 and β=-1.29 (-2.17 ; -0.42), P = 0.004), and with attention in LBD (β=-0.81(-1.16 ; -0.002), P = 0.03). Linear mixed-effects models showed that plasma NfL predicted MMSE decline in the global population (β

conclusionIn our clinical cohort, plasma NfL was associated with faster cognitive decline in neurodegenerative dementia, which corroborates data obtained in research cohorts. Yet, plasma NfL was not predictive of accelerated cognitive decline in individuals without neurodegeneration, suggesting its use as a neurodegeneration-specific predictive biomarker.

Indexed as

BiomarkersCognitive DysfunctionNeurodegenerative DiseasesNeurofilament ProteinsAgedAged, 80 and overAlzheimer DiseaseCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedNeuropsychological TestsPrognosisRetrospective StudiesBiomarkersneurofilament protein LNeurofilament ProteinsAlzheimer’s diseaseCognitive declineCognitive domains performanceNeurodegenerative diseasesNeurofilament proteinsNeuroimaging

Identifiers

PMID39427171
PMCPMC11490051

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.