Plasma neurofilament light chain is associated with cognitive decline in non-dementia older adults
Lingxiao He, John E. Morley, Geetika Aggarwal, Andrew D. Nguyen, Bruno Vellas, Philipe de Souto Barreto, the MAPT/DSA Group, MAPT Study Group, Principal investigator, Bruno Vellas, Coordination, Sophie Guyonnet, Project leader, Isabelle Carrié, CRA, Lauréane Brigitte, Investigators, Catherine Faisant, Françoise Lala, Julien Delrieu, Hélène Villars, Psychologists, Emeline Combrouze, Carole Badufle, Audrey Zueras, Methodology, statistical analysis and data management, Sandrine Andrieu, Christelle Cantet, Christophe Morin, Multidomain group, Gabor Abellán van Kan, Charlotte Dupuy, Yves Rolland, Céline Caillaud, Pierre-Jean Ousset, Françoise Lala, Sherry L. Willis, Sylvie Belleville, Brigitte Gilbert, Francine Fontaine, Jean-François Dartigues, Isabelle Marcet, Fleur Delva, Alexandra Foubert, Sandrine Cerda, Marie-Noëlle-Cuffi, Corinne Costes, Olivier Rouaud, Patrick Manckoundia, Valérie Quipourt, Sophie Marilier, Evelyne Franon, Lawrence Bories, Marie-Laure Pader, Marie-France Basset, Bruno Lapoujade, Valérie Faure, Michael Li Yung Tong, Christine Malick-Loiseau, Evelyne Cazaban-Campistron, Françoise Desclaux, Colette Blatge, Thierry Dantoine, Cécile Laubarie-Mouret, Isabelle Saulnier, Jean-Pierre Clément, Marie-Agnès Picat, Laurence Bernard‐Bourzeix, Stéphanie Willebois, Iléana Désormais, Noëlle Cardinaud, Marc Bonnefoy, Pierre Livet, Pascale Rebaudet, Claire Gédéon, Catherine Burdet, Flavien Terracol, Alain Pesce, Stéphanie Roth, Sylvie Chaillou, Sandrine Louchart, Kristel Sudres, Nicolas Lebrun, Nadège Barro-Belaygues, Jacques Touchon, Karim Bennys, Audrey Gabelle, Aurélia Romano, Lynda Touati, Cécilia Marelli, Cécile Pays, Philippe Robert, Franck Le Duff, Claire Gervais, S. Gonfrier, Yannick Gasnier, Serge Bordes, Danièle Begorre, Christian Carpuat, Khaled Khales
Abstract
Neurofilament light chain (NfL) has been associated with cognitive status in multiple neurodegenerative conditions. Studies about plasma NfL and cognitive decline in older adults are still limited. 504 older adults (median age 75 years) who expressed memory complaints were selected from the Multidomain Alzheimer's Preventive Trial (MAPT) and were classified as normal cognition (NC) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Cognitive functions were measured as mini mental state examination (MMSE) and composite cognitive score (CCS) over a 4-year period. Plasma NfL was measured at the first or the second year of the MAPT. Mixed-effects linear models were performed to evaluate cross-sectional and longitudinal associations. In the whole population, higher plasma NfL was cross-sectionally associated with lower cognitive functions (MMSE: β = - 0.007, 95% CI [- 0.013, - 0.001]; CCS: β = - 0.003, 95% CI [- 0.006, - 0.001]). In adults with MCI, but not NC, higher plasma NfL was associated with lower CCS at the cross-sectional level (β = - 0.003, 95% CI [- 0.005, - 0.0002]). The upper quartile NfL group further demonstrated more over time decline in CCS (β = - 0.07, 95% CI [- 0.12, - 0.01]) under the MCI status. Plasma NfL can be a promising biomarker of progressive cognition decline in older adults with MCI.