Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42323462›Full record

ArticleJournal of neurology2026

Plasma p-Tau217 and Aβ42/Aβ40 mediate the association between minimal depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment.

Yuhan Chen, Zhibo Wang, Huan Chen, Haoxuan Li, Zixuan Zhang, Huixian Cui, Sha Li, Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Journal of neurology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–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

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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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

8 authors.

Yuhan ChenDepartment of Human Anatomy, Neuroscience Research Center, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050017, China.
Zhibo WangInnovation Center for Neurological Disorders and Department of Neurology, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.
Huan ChenDepartment of Human Anatomy, Neuroscience Research Center, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050017, China.
Haoxuan LiDepartment of Human Anatomy, Neuroscience Research Center, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050017, China.
Zixuan ZhangDepartment of Human Anatomy, Neuroscience Research Center, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050017, China.
Huixian CuiDepartment of Human Anatomy, Neuroscience Research Center, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050017, China.
Sha LiDepartment of Human Anatomy, Neuroscience Research Center, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050017, China. lisha@hebmu.edu.cn.
Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 82171582National Natural Science Foundation of China 82471199
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Depression is a recognized risk factor and potential prodromal feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD). While associations between depressive symptoms and AD pathology have been observed using cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and PET imaging, it remains unclear whether these relationships can be captured by accessible plasma biomarkers, particularly the highly specific phosphorylated tau-217 (p-Tau217). We analyzed 615 participants from Alzheimer's disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) cohort, of whom 374 had minimal depressive symptoms (MDS). Plasma biomarkers included phosphorylated tau-217 (p-Tau217), amyloid-β 42/40 ratio (Aβ42/Aβ40), neurofilament light chain (NfL), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Linear regression models and mediation analyses were employed to examine associations between MDS, plasma biomarkers (p-Tau217, Aβ42/Aβ40, NfL, and GFAP), and cognitive impairment, with adjustments for age, sex, and APOE ε4 carrier status. Participants with MDS demonstrated significantly elevated plasma p-Tau217 levels (mean difference = 0.105, 95% CI [0.046, 0.163]; P < 0.001) and reduced Aβ42/Aβ40 (mean difference = -0.024, 95% CI [-0.041, -0.006]; P = 0.007) compared with those without MDS. These associations were primarily observed in non-demented individuals and influenced by age, sex, and APOE ε4 status. In mediation analyses, plasma p-Tau217 accounted for 41.57%-42.18% of the association between MDS and cognitive impairment, while Aβ42/Aβ40 mediated 7.13%-8.45% of this relationship. Plasma biomarkers of p-Tau217 and Aβ42/Aβ40 were associated with early depressive symptoms and mediate their associations with cognitive impairment. These findings identify plasma p-Tau217 as a key mediator linking MDS to cognitive impairment, extending evidence from CSF to accessible blood-based biomarkers. This highlights the value of monitoring plasma p-Tau217 and Aβ42/Aβ40 to unravel the pathological basis of depressive symptoms in early AD.

Indexed as

Amyloid beta-PeptidesCognitive DysfunctionDepressionPeptide Fragmentstau ProteinsAgedAged, 80 and overAlzheimer DiseaseBiomarkersFemaleGlial Fibrillary Acidic ProteinHumansMaleNeurofilament ProteinsPhosphorylationAmyloid beta-Peptidesamyloid beta-protein (1-40)amyloid beta-protein (1-42)BiomarkersGlial Fibrillary Acidic ProteinMAPT protein, humanNeurofilament ProteinsPeptide Fragmentstau ProteinsAlzheimer's diseaseAβ42/Aβ40Cognitive impairmentMinimal depressive symptomsPlasma biomarkersP-Tau217

Identifiers

PMID42323462

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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.