Skip to main content

Dementia Biomarkers Associated With Age, Sex, APOE ε4 Status

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on April 21, 2025.

via HealthDay

MONDAY, April 21, 2025 -- Dementia biomarkers -- phosphorylated tau (P-tau181), neurofilament light (NfL), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) -- are associated with age, sex, and apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 status, according to a study published online April 16 in Neurology.

Hannah Stocker, M.D., from the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg, and colleagues examined the association of age, sex, APOE ε4 status, and menopause with dementia-related blood biomarker levels and the rate of change in community-dwelling adults during 11 years. Within a population-based cohort study, a nested case-control study was conducted. The nested study included 1,026 participants (1:1 for incident dementia during follow-up:without dementia during follow-up) aged 50 to 75 years at baseline who were followed for 17 years.

The researchers observed cross-sectional and longitudinal significant associations for age with all dementia-related biomarkers. Compared with P-tau181 levels, NfL and GFAP levels correlated more strongly with age at baseline. Significantly higher levels and rates of increase in GFAP were seen for women, while levels of NfL were higher among men, after adjusting for age and APOE ε4. There was a significant association seen for APOE ε4 status with baseline and longitudinal levels of P-tau181 and GFAP. After adjusting for age, sex, and APOE ε4, premenopausal status was significantly associated with higher GFAP levels.

"Gaining a better understanding of these biomarkers will help improve our ability to test for dementia in the future with simple blood tests," Stocker said in a statement. "Our research underscores the need to further explore these biomarkers, including during menopause, in the development of dementia."

One author disclosed ties to pharmaceutical companies; one author has study-related patents issued and pending.

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Read this next

BRCA Mutations Linked to Breast Implant Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma

WEDNESDAY, June 25, 2025 -- For women with breast cancer (BC), BRCA mutations are associated with increased risk of developing breast implant–associated anaplastic large...

ADA: Orforglipron Reduces Glycated Hemoglobin in Early Type 2 Diabetes

WEDNESDAY, June 25, 2025 -- The oral small-molecule glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, orforglipron, reduced glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) over 40 weeks in adults with early...

Paternal Mental Distress Linked to Poorer Offspring Development

WEDNESDAY, June 25, 2025 -- Paternal mental distress is associated with poorer child development, according to a study published online June 16 in JAMA Pediatrics. Genevieve Le...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.