Associations of plasma biomarkers of Alzheimer's pathology with longevity and healthspan

Zhang, B., LaCroix, A. Z., Resnick, S. M., Nguyen, S., Ferrucci, L., Libermann, T. A., Ngo, L., Casanova, R., Reiner, A. P., Li, D., Nievergelt, C., Maihofer, A., McEvoy, L. K., Shadyab, A. H.

University of California - San DiegoUniversity of California - San Diego · medrxiv

Paper

Abstract

Plasma biomarkers of Alzheimer's pathology have been studied in relation to cognitive decline and dementia, but no prior study has examined their associations with longevity or healthspan. In this cohort study of older women (N=2,576), we examined plasma biomarkers measured at baseline when women were cognitively unimpaired. We found that plasma biomarkers were associated with both exceptional longevity and healthspan, defined as survival to age 90 without cognitive impairment. Elevated levels of plasma p-tau217 (OR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.50-0.68), p-tau181 (OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.71-0.93), NfL (OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.60-0.82) and GFAP (OR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.68-0.90) were all associated with reduced odds of healthspan; findings survived adjustment for multiple comparisons. These findings suggest that plasma biomarkers may not only reflect ADRD pathology but also systemic aging processes that underlie lifespan and healthspan, underscoring their potential value as novel biomarkers of aging.

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Research summary

The paper claims that elevated levels of certain plasma biomarkers are associated with reduced odds of achieving exceptional longevity and healthspan. This study is relevant as it explores potential biomarkers that may reflect systemic aging processes, contributing to the understanding of longevity and healthspan in the context of aging research.

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