Abstract
Introduction: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker quantification provides physicians with a reliable diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, the relationship between their concentration and disease course has not been clearly elucidated. This work aimed to investigate the clinical and prognostic significance of Aβ40 CSF levels. Methods: A retrospective cohort of 76 patients diagnosed with AD using a decreased Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio was subclassified into hyposecretors (Aβ40 <7,755 pg/mL), normosecretors (Aβ40 7,755–16,715 pg/mL), and hypersecretors (Aβ40 >16,715 pg/mL). Potential differences in AD phenotype, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores, and Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) stages were assessed. Correlation tests for biomarker concentrations were also performed. Results: Participants were classified as hyposecretors (n = 22, median Aβ40 5,870.500 pg/mL, interquartile range [IQR] 1,431), normosecretors (n = 47, median Aβ40 10,817 pg/mL, IQR 3,622), and hypersecretors (n = 7, 19,767 pg/mL, IQR 3,088). The distribution of positive phosphorylated Tau (p-Tau) varied significantly between subgroups and was more common in the normo- and hypersecretor categories (p = 0.003). Aβ40 and p-Tau concentrations correlated positively (ρ = 0.605, p < 0.001). No significant differences were found among subgroups regarding age, initial MoCA score, initial GDS stage, progression to the dementia stage, or changes in the MoCA score. Conclusion: In this study, we found no significant differences in clinical symptoms or disease progression in AD patients according to their CSF Aβ40 concentration. Aβ40 was positively correlated with p-Tau and total Tau concentrations, supporting their potential interaction in AD pathophysiology.
Introduction
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most frequent cause of dementia, affecting around 50 million people worldwide, with a prevalence expected to triplicate by 2050 [1]. Even though the mechanism underlying AD is still poorly understood, the “amyloid cascade” continues to be the most widely accepted hypothesis. Thus, the amyloid precursor protein is sequentially cleaved in the amyloidogenic pathway to amyloid-β peptides of various lengths. The longest ones, Aβ42 and Aβ40, are prone to aggregation in hypothetical conditions of overproduction or reduced clearance [2, 3]. The quantification of these peptides in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is nowadays an essential tool as they are reliable biomarkers for AD, even providing the basis for the definition of the disease itself, according to the latest diagnostic criteria [4]. Decreased Aβ42 in CSF has been previously correlated with higher amyloid deposits in pathological [5] and in vivo studies [6, 7], even predicting the progression to dementia from asymptomatic or mild cognitive impairment stages [8, 9]. However, no correlation has been found between CSF concentration of Aβ42 and cognitive symptoms [6, 8‒11]. Less is known about Aβ40, apart from that a decreased CSF Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio is a better indicator of amyloid deposits than Aβ42 alone [12‒14]. Therefore, the role of Aβ40 has been limited to adjusting for the interindividual variability in the total production of amyloid-β peptides [14]. With the present study, we aimed to evaluate the clinical and prognostic significance of the CSF levels of Aβ40.
Materials and Methods
Population of Study
We retrospectively analyzed the electronic clinical records of the patients with suspected cognitive impairment evaluated at Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain, from April 2019 to May 2022. The inclusion criteria were (1) diagnosis of the AD continuum by the CSF biomarker profile according to the National Institute of Ageing-Alzheimer’s Association (NIA-AA) research framework [4]; (2) age above 18 years old; (3) a neuroimaging study showing no signs suggestive of a non-neurodegenerative etiology; (4) laboratory tests with folate and B12 within normal range, normal thyroid, renal, and hepatic function; (5) negative syphilis and VIH serologies; and (6) at least one evaluation at the Cognitive Disorders Clinic. Patients with a progression to the dementia stage according to the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) [15] in less than 6 months after the beginning of the symptoms were excluded, as well as those presenting signs in either the neuroimaging study or laboratory tests indicative of a non-neurodegenerative etiology. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee at Hospital Universitario La Paz on April 28th, 2022 (PI-5239). All data were managed in fulfillment of the Declaration of Helsinki.
Clinical and Neuropsychological Assessment
Every participant underwent a complete neurological examination on the first visit and a neuropsychological assessment with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) [16] or the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) [17] tests on the first visit and every 6 months while the follow-up lasted. Neurology consultants specialized in cognitive disorders performed neurological examinations and neuropsychological tests.
Biochemical Analysis
CSF samples were obtained by lumbar puncture and centrifuged for 10 min at 2,000 g and 20°C. The concentration of Aβ40, Aβ42, phosphorylated Tau (p-Tau), and total Tau were measured by chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay on Lumipulse (Fujirebio®). A diagnosis of the AD continuum was established if the Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio <0.068 pg/mL. The threshold for p-Tau positivity was 59 pg/mL. Participants were classified according to the concentration of Aβ40 as follows: hyposecretors (Aβ40 <7,755 pg/mL), normosecretors (Aβ40 7,755–16,715 pg/mL), or hypersecretors (Aβ40 >16,715 pg/mL). The threshold values correspond to those provided by the manufacturer for diagnostic purposes [18, 19].
Variables of Study
Demographic data including sex, age, history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia, as well as a family history of dementia, were collected. To assess the presentation and progression of cognitive symptoms in the participants, we recorded the initial symptoms and estimated time of onset as perceived by the patient or caregivers, the clinical phenotype according to the International Working Group criteria [20], the score on MoCA test, and GDS stage in the first consultation and during the follow-up. Seven patients underwent MMSE at some point during the follow-up, so the results were translated to MoCA scores using conversion tables [21].
Statistical Analysis
First, a raw analysis of the three subgroups established according to Aβ40 levels was performed. We also completed a stratified analysis based on p-Tau levels. Differences in qualitative variables were assessed with the χ2 test, and Fisher’s exact test was applied when a value was inferior to five. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to determine if the quantitative variables were normally distributed. Differences in quantitative values were assessed with Student’s t test or ANOVA when parametric analyses were deemed and with Mann-Whitney’s U test or Kruskal-Wallis’ test for nonparametric analyses. A Kaplan-Meier estimator was used to ascertain differences between groups in the progression to mild and moderate dementia stages (GDS ≥4 and GDS ≥5, respectively) [15], and changes in the MoCA score during the follow-up were standardized by dividing the difference by the interval between tests. Correlation among CSF biomarkers and the aforementioned clinical variables were assessed with Pearson’s and Spearman’s coefficients for normally and non-normally distributed variables, respectively. A logistic regression analysis was also performed to test the influence of CSF biomarkers on the phenotypical variants and progression of AD. SPSS 28 (IBM, Armonk, NY, USA) was used for the statistical analysis.
Results
The inclusion criteria were met by 76 subjects, with a mean follow-up of 1.79 years (standard deviation [SD] = 1.01). The flowchart for patient selection is depicted in Figure 1. Of the 76 participants, 22 were classified as hyposecretors, 47 as normosecretors, and 7 as hypersecretors. Table 1 presents the concentration of CSF biomarkers for each subgroup. The demographic and clinical data for both raw and stratified analyses are shown in Table 2. No significant differences were found among groups regarding age, initial MoCA score, or initial GDS stage. The distribution of positive p-Tau status varied significantly across the subgroups, being more frequent in the normo- and hypersecretor categories (p = 0.003). No differences in demographic or clinical variables were found in the stratified analysis either. A positive correlation was found between Aβ40 and p-Tau levels (ρ = 0.605, p < 0.001), Aβ40, and total-Tau (ρ = 0.594, p < 0.001) and between Aβ40 and Aβ42 (ρ = 0.742, p < 0.001).
Subgroup classification according to biomarker status
. | Hyposecretors, n = 22 . | Normosecretors, n = 47 . | Hypersecretors, n = 7 . | p value . | Hyposecretors . | Normosecretors . | Hypersecretors . | p value . | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A+T+n = 11 . | A+T−n = 11 . | A+T+n = 42 . | A+T−n = 5 . | A+T+n = 6 . | A+T−n = 1 . | ||||||
Aβ40, median (IQR), pg/mL | 5,870.500 (1,431) | 10,817 (3,622) | 19,767 (3,088) | <0.001* | 6,094 (1,512) | 5,831 (2,115) | 10,834.500 (3,967) | 10,135 (4,296) | 18,768 (2,868) | 40,105 (0) | <0.001* |
Aβ42, median (IQR), pg/mL | 249.500 (101) | 459 (242) | 588 (185) | <0.001* | 268 (63) | 241 (123) | 435 (200) | 654 (221) | 597 (248) | 228 (0) | <0.001* |
Aβ42/Aβ40, mean (SD) | 0.048 (0.01) | 0.042 (0.01) | 0.039 (0.01) | 0.041* | 0.044 (0.01) | 0.053 (0.01) | 0.040 (0.01) | 0.061 (0.00) | 0.036 (0.01) | 0.056 | <0.001* |
p-Tau, mean (SD), pg/mL | 67.414 (34.44) | 122.974 (66.48) | 140.529 (67.61) | <0.001* | 93.146 (28.55) | 41.681 (14.79) | 131.017 (63.83) | 38.525 (14.09) | 158,883 (51.52) | 30.400 | <0.001* |
Total-Tau, mean (SD), pg/mL | 448.270 (226.89) | 744.790 (361.32) | 944 (391.68) | <0.001* | 579.180 (189–02) | 317.360 (186.21) | 789.050 (345.15) | 373 (294.94) | 1,056.500 (278.90) | 269 | <0.001* |
. | Hyposecretors, n = 22 . | Normosecretors, n = 47 . | Hypersecretors, n = 7 . | p value . | Hyposecretors . | Normosecretors . | Hypersecretors . | p value . | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A+T+n = 11 . | A+T−n = 11 . | A+T+n = 42 . | A+T−n = 5 . | A+T+n = 6 . | A+T−n = 1 . | ||||||
Aβ40, median (IQR), pg/mL | 5,870.500 (1,431) | 10,817 (3,622) | 19,767 (3,088) | <0.001* | 6,094 (1,512) | 5,831 (2,115) | 10,834.500 (3,967) | 10,135 (4,296) | 18,768 (2,868) | 40,105 (0) | <0.001* |
Aβ42, median (IQR), pg/mL | 249.500 (101) | 459 (242) | 588 (185) | <0.001* | 268 (63) | 241 (123) | 435 (200) | 654 (221) | 597 (248) | 228 (0) | <0.001* |
Aβ42/Aβ40, mean (SD) | 0.048 (0.01) | 0.042 (0.01) | 0.039 (0.01) | 0.041* | 0.044 (0.01) | 0.053 (0.01) | 0.040 (0.01) | 0.061 (0.00) | 0.036 (0.01) | 0.056 | <0.001* |
p-Tau, mean (SD), pg/mL | 67.414 (34.44) | 122.974 (66.48) | 140.529 (67.61) | <0.001* | 93.146 (28.55) | 41.681 (14.79) | 131.017 (63.83) | 38.525 (14.09) | 158,883 (51.52) | 30.400 | <0.001* |
Total-Tau, mean (SD), pg/mL | 448.270 (226.89) | 744.790 (361.32) | 944 (391.68) | <0.001* | 579.180 (189–02) | 317.360 (186.21) | 789.050 (345.15) | 373 (294.94) | 1,056.500 (278.90) | 269 | <0.001* |
The largest subgroup corresponds to those patients with a concentration of CSF Aβ40 within the normal range. The values showed significant differences for every biomarker among subgroups.
IQR, interquartile range; n, number; p-Tau, phosphorylated Tau; q, quartile; SD, standard deviation.
*pvalue <0.05.
Demographic and clinical data
. | Hyposecretors . | Normosecretors . | Hypersecretors . | p value . | Hyposecretors . | Normosecretors . | Hypersecretors . | p value . | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A+T+ . | A+T− . | A+T+ . | A+T− . | A+T+ . | A+T− . | ||||||
Age, median (IQR), years | 71 (9) | 72 (6) | 75 (10) | 0.153 | 72 (6) | 69 (12) | 71 (7) | 73 (7.5) | 74 (7.75) | 81 (0) | 0.258 |
Male sex, n (%) | 7 (9.2) | 20 (26.3) | 1 (1.3) | 0.315 | 3 (3.9) | 4 (5.3) | 19 (25) | 1 (1.3) | 0 (0) | 1 (1.3) | 0.176 |
HT, n (%) | 11 (14.5) | 18 (23.7) | 4 (5.3) | 0.523 | 5 (6.6) | 6 (7.9) | 16 (21.1) | 2 (2.6) | 3 (3.9) | 1 (1.3) | 0.823 |
DL, n (%) | 15 (19.7) | 25 (32.9) | 2 (2.6) | 0.175 | 8 (10.5) | 7 (9.2) | 22 (28.9) | 3 (3.9) | 2 (2.6) | 0 (0) | 0.552 |
DM2, n (%) | 5 (6.6) | 10 (13.2) | 0 (0) | 0.500 | 2 (2.6) | 3 (3.9) | 9 (11.8) | 1 (1.3) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0.868 |
Family history of dementia, n (%) | 11 (14.5) | 15 (19.7) | 3 (3.9) | 0.321 | 7 (9.2) | 4 (5.3) | 14 (18.4) | 1 (1.3) | 3 (3.9) | 0 (0) | 0.410 |
Initial MoCA score, mean (SD) | 18.18 (6.352) | 18.21(5.332) | 18.14 (1.574) | 0.999 | 17.64 (5.938) | 18.73 (6.987) | 18 (5.314) | 20 (5.745) | 18 (1,673) | 19 (−) | 0.974 |
Initial GDS stage, median (IQR) | 3 (1) | 3 (0) | 3 (1) | 0.595 | 3 (1) | 3 (0) | 3 (0) | 3 (1) | 3 (1) | 2 (0) | 0.286 |
. | Hyposecretors . | Normosecretors . | Hypersecretors . | p value . | Hyposecretors . | Normosecretors . | Hypersecretors . | p value . | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A+T+ . | A+T− . | A+T+ . | A+T− . | A+T+ . | A+T− . | ||||||
Age, median (IQR), years | 71 (9) | 72 (6) | 75 (10) | 0.153 | 72 (6) | 69 (12) | 71 (7) | 73 (7.5) | 74 (7.75) | 81 (0) | 0.258 |
Male sex, n (%) | 7 (9.2) | 20 (26.3) | 1 (1.3) | 0.315 | 3 (3.9) | 4 (5.3) | 19 (25) | 1 (1.3) | 0 (0) | 1 (1.3) | 0.176 |
HT, n (%) | 11 (14.5) | 18 (23.7) | 4 (5.3) | 0.523 | 5 (6.6) | 6 (7.9) | 16 (21.1) | 2 (2.6) | 3 (3.9) | 1 (1.3) | 0.823 |
DL, n (%) | 15 (19.7) | 25 (32.9) | 2 (2.6) | 0.175 | 8 (10.5) | 7 (9.2) | 22 (28.9) | 3 (3.9) | 2 (2.6) | 0 (0) | 0.552 |
DM2, n (%) | 5 (6.6) | 10 (13.2) | 0 (0) | 0.500 | 2 (2.6) | 3 (3.9) | 9 (11.8) | 1 (1.3) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0.868 |
Family history of dementia, n (%) | 11 (14.5) | 15 (19.7) | 3 (3.9) | 0.321 | 7 (9.2) | 4 (5.3) | 14 (18.4) | 1 (1.3) | 3 (3.9) | 0 (0) | 0.410 |
Initial MoCA score, mean (SD) | 18.18 (6.352) | 18.21(5.332) | 18.14 (1.574) | 0.999 | 17.64 (5.938) | 18.73 (6.987) | 18 (5.314) | 20 (5.745) | 18 (1,673) | 19 (−) | 0.974 |
Initial GDS stage, median (IQR) | 3 (1) | 3 (0) | 3 (1) | 0.595 | 3 (1) | 3 (0) | 3 (0) | 3 (1) | 3 (1) | 2 (0) | 0.286 |
The subgroups were adequately comparable according to the distribution of the demographic data. No significant differences were found for the stage of presentation or initial neuropsychological evaluation.
DM2, type 2 diabetes mellitus; DL, dyslipidemia; GDS, Global Deterioration Scale; HT, hypertension; IQR, interquartile range; MoCA, Montreal Cognitive Assessment; n, number; q, quartile; SD, standard deviation.
Biomarker concentrations (pg/mL) were not significantly different between the amnestic and non-amnestic subgroups: Aβ40 10,140.500, interquartile range (IQR) = 7,409 versus 9,489, IQR = 4,024 (p = 0.682); Aβ42 377, IQR = 224 versus 385.500, IQR = 292 (p = 0.284); Aβ42/Aβ40 0.042, SD = 0.01 versus 0.046, SD = 0.01 (p = 0.063); p-Tau 111.842, SD = 70.72 versus 102.044, SD = 51.53 (p = 0.265); and total-Tau 695.230, SD = 391.02 versus 646.570, SD = 312.99 (p = 0.288). Amnestic syndrome was the most frequent IWG-2 phenotype, being found in 48 (63.2%) participants, followed by frontal variant in 21 (27.6%) participants. The distribution of AD phenotypes did not differ among subgroups both in the raw and in the stratified analyses nor did changes in the MoCA score (Table 3).
Phenotypical distribution and cognitive decline according to biomarker status
. | Hyposecretors . | Normosecretors . | Hypersecretors . | p value . | Hyposecretors . | Normosecretors . | Hypersecretors . | p value . | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A+T+ . | A+T− . | A+T+ . | A+T− . | A+T+ . | A+T− . | ||||||
Atypical AD variant, n (%) | 7 (9.2) | 19 (25) | 2 (2.6) | 0.703 | 4 (5.3) | 3 (33.9) | 14 (18.4) | 5 (6.6) | 2 (7.1) | 0 (0) | 0.069 |
IWG-2 phenotype, n (%) | |||||||||||
Amnestic syndrome | 15 (19.7) | 28 (36.8) | 5 (6.6) | 0.738 | 7 (9.2) | 8 (10.5) | 28 (36.8) | 0 (0) | 4 (5.3) | 1 (1.3) | 0.151 |
Posterior variant | 0 (0) | 3 (3.9) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 3 (3.9) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | ||
Logopenic variant | 1 (1.3) | 2 (2.6) | 1 (1.3) | 1 (1.3) | 0 (0) | 2 (2.6) | 0 (0) | 1 (1.3) | 0 (0) | ||
Frontal variant | 6 (7.9) | 14 (18.4) | 1 (1.3) | 3 (3.9) | 3 (3.9) | 9 (11.8) | 5 (6.6) | 1 (1.3) | 0 (0) | ||
ΔMoCA score, median (IQR) | −1.82 (2.34) | −1.19 (4.20) | 0.82 (13.02) | 0.190 | −1.72 (6.33) | −1.92 (2.76) | −1.21 (3.96) | 0.41 (0) | 0 (11.70) | 9.94 (0) | 0.456 |
Progression to dementia (GDS ≥4), median (IQR), years | 0.76 (2) | 0.86 (1.50) | 1.08 (1.95) | 0.953 | 0.55 (2.15) | 1.30 (1.53) | 0.85 (1.50) | 0.86 (1.93) | 1.05 (2.03) | 1.08 (0) | 0.945 |
Progression to moderate dementia (GDS ≥5), mean (SD), years | 1.53 (1.10) | 1.61 (0.91) | 1.71 (1.41) | 0.916 | 1.44 (1.02) | 1.62 (1.22) | 1.61 (0.89) | 1.63 (1.14) | 1.81 (1.51) | 1.08 (1.08) | 0.978 |
. | Hyposecretors . | Normosecretors . | Hypersecretors . | p value . | Hyposecretors . | Normosecretors . | Hypersecretors . | p value . | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A+T+ . | A+T− . | A+T+ . | A+T− . | A+T+ . | A+T− . | ||||||
Atypical AD variant, n (%) | 7 (9.2) | 19 (25) | 2 (2.6) | 0.703 | 4 (5.3) | 3 (33.9) | 14 (18.4) | 5 (6.6) | 2 (7.1) | 0 (0) | 0.069 |
IWG-2 phenotype, n (%) | |||||||||||
Amnestic syndrome | 15 (19.7) | 28 (36.8) | 5 (6.6) | 0.738 | 7 (9.2) | 8 (10.5) | 28 (36.8) | 0 (0) | 4 (5.3) | 1 (1.3) | 0.151 |
Posterior variant | 0 (0) | 3 (3.9) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 3 (3.9) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | ||
Logopenic variant | 1 (1.3) | 2 (2.6) | 1 (1.3) | 1 (1.3) | 0 (0) | 2 (2.6) | 0 (0) | 1 (1.3) | 0 (0) | ||
Frontal variant | 6 (7.9) | 14 (18.4) | 1 (1.3) | 3 (3.9) | 3 (3.9) | 9 (11.8) | 5 (6.6) | 1 (1.3) | 0 (0) | ||
ΔMoCA score, median (IQR) | −1.82 (2.34) | −1.19 (4.20) | 0.82 (13.02) | 0.190 | −1.72 (6.33) | −1.92 (2.76) | −1.21 (3.96) | 0.41 (0) | 0 (11.70) | 9.94 (0) | 0.456 |
Progression to dementia (GDS ≥4), median (IQR), years | 0.76 (2) | 0.86 (1.50) | 1.08 (1.95) | 0.953 | 0.55 (2.15) | 1.30 (1.53) | 0.85 (1.50) | 0.86 (1.93) | 1.05 (2.03) | 1.08 (0) | 0.945 |
Progression to moderate dementia (GDS ≥5), mean (SD), years | 1.53 (1.10) | 1.61 (0.91) | 1.71 (1.41) | 0.916 | 1.44 (1.02) | 1.62 (1.22) | 1.61 (0.89) | 1.63 (1.14) | 1.81 (1.51) | 1.08 (1.08) | 0.978 |
No significant differences were found for distinctive symptoms on presentation, the decrease in neuropsychological evaluation, or the dementia stage throughout the follow-up.
AD, Alzheimer’s disease; GDS, Global Deterioration Scale; IQR, interquartile range; IWG-2, International Working Group-2; MoCA, Montreal Cognitive Assessment; n, number; q, quartile; SD, standard deviation.
There were no significant differences among subgroups in the time of progression to dementia (Table 3; Fig. 2). No correlation was found between Aβ40 levels and changes in the MoCA score (ρ = 0.185, p = 0.141), Aβ40 and time of progression to mild dementia (ρ = 0.045, p = 0.700), or between that of biomarker and time of progression to moderate dementia (r = −0.003, p = 0.979).
Progression to the dementia stage according to biomarker status. The different subgroups showed similar progression rates to either mild or moderate dementia stages in the Kaplan-Meier analysis. GDS, Global Deterioration Scale.
Progression to the dementia stage according to biomarker status. The different subgroups showed similar progression rates to either mild or moderate dementia stages in the Kaplan-Meier analysis. GDS, Global Deterioration Scale.
In the logistic regression analysis, collinearity was found for total Tau and p-Tau (variance inflation factor = 12.688 and 12.506, respectively), so the former was removed from the model. Aβ40, Aβ42, p-Tau, and age were included as predictors. No significant association was found between the presence of a non-amnestic phenotype and Aβ40 (p = 0.134), p-Tau (p = 0.175), or age (p = 0.051). Aβ42 levels were positively associated with presenting a non-amnestic AD variant (p = 0.036, OR = 1.007, 95% CI = 1.000–1.013). The model showed a significant fit (χ2 = 10.348, p = 0.035). Classification precision, specificity, and sensitivity were 72%, 89.6%, and 40.7%, respectively. Regarding progress to the mild dementia stage, no predictors showed significant associations: Aβ40 (p = 0.439), Aβ42 (p = 0.485), p-Tau (p = 0.387), or age (p = 0.632). No significant interactions were found for Aβ40 (p = 0.672), Aβ42 (p = 0.563), p-Tau (p = 0.744), or age (p = 0.839) and progress to moderate dementia.
Discussion
In our study, the concentration of CSF Aβ40 in AD patients did not correlate with the initial symptoms of the disease, the intensity of the cognitive decline as measured by the MoCA test, or the progression to the dementia stage. CSF biomarkers for AD have played a critical role in paving the road toward standardizing a biological definition of the disease and have homogenized its diagnostic and research criteria [20, 22]. The value of CSF biomarkers as a diagnostic tool for neurodegenerative diseases has been further stated with their proven ability to differentiate among parkinsonian syndromes [23]. The additional measurement of Aβ40 has been demonstrated to reflect amyloid positron emission tomography status better than Aβ42 alone [12] and to provide clinicians with a more accurate AD diagnosis [13] as it normalizes Aβ42 concentration to total amyloid-β peptides. Studies on Aβ40 as an independent biomarker and its possible relationship with the clinical or pathological aspects of AD have been otherwise scarce. In an anatomopathological series, no significant difference was found in its concentration between patients with AD and subjects with other neurodegenerative dementias [24]. Very recently, Verde et al. [25] reported preliminary data regarding the role of Aβ40 and p-Tau levels in differentiating amnestic from atypical AD phenotypes [25], pointing toward possible slightly different biochemical and neuropathological changes underlying non-amnestic forms. However, our study did not replicate their results. We did observe a positive correlation between Aβ40 and p-Tau, and between Aβ40 and total-Tau, in concordance with previous observations [26], that reinforces the hypothesized modulation of Tau pathology by amyloid-β peptides. Although the exact link between these two pathological hallmarks remains to be elucidated, mouse models suggest that early accumulation of Aβ peptides induces a progressive conformation of Tau seeds into larger aggregates [27]. In prospective studies, CSF p-Tau and total-Tau have shown an increase in amyloid-positive individuals, with Aβ biomarkers somehow preceding Tau pathology but failing to show a steady rise themselves [11, 28]. This finding might suggest that higher levels of the former respond to disease progression and neuronal damage (Tau has proved to be a reliable indicator of disease progression and cognitive decline [29, 30]), though without a clinical correlation as measured by the tools employed in our study. Thus, amyloid pathology might be an initial and necessary step that subsequently drives disease progression in AD patients. However, as Aβ deposits precede by decades the emergence of symptoms [1], the latest stages of AD could become independent of amyloid pathology and be more related to unspecific mechanisms of neurodegeneration in which Tau pathology might play a leading role [31]. Further association with biomarkers for neurodegeneration such as neurofilament light protein [32], a set of data not available from our study population, would support this hypothesis. CSF Aβ40 levels reliably reflect total Aβ load [26] and therefore show interindividual variability, but if AD progresses and Tau pathology becomes the dominant process, it is unlikely that they serve such function in normalizing p-Tau levels even though they were mechanistically related.
CSF biomarkers have been widely considered of particular interest in the search for a better understanding of the elusive mechanisms underlying AD as its interaction with the extracellular space of the encephalon would plausibly reflect the neuropathological changes occurring [33]. However, research on the clinical correlation of amyloid-β peptides has not yielded remarkable results. The concentration of CSF Aβ42 has been inversely correlated with amyloid plaque load both in anatomopathological [5, 34] and amyloid-positron emission tomography imaging series [7, 35]. The remarkable stability of that peptide throughout the disease progression has prevented allocating Aβ42 a defined pathological role [11, 28]. Nonetheless, soluble Aβ oligomers appear to be the toxic form of amyloid instead of plaques themselves [36], a fact that might account for the absence of a clinical connotation of Aβ42 levels. In that sense, we found no apparent effect of Aβ40 in the progression of cognitive decline or the clinical presentation of the disease either. The finding of a considerable proportion of cognitively normal subjects showing Aβ deposition has contributed to the reframing of the role of amyloid in AD pathogenesis [37]. The high frequency of concomitant pathology according to recent anatomopathological data further indicates a considerably higher complexity of the mechanisms involved [38]. Regarding the potential role of Aβ42 as a predictor of a non-amnestic AD variant observed in our study, the OR value is not sufficient to be deemed clinically meaningful. Future studies should evaluate the predictive value of Aβ biomarkers for atypical variants as it was not the primary aim of our work.
Despite the retrospective design of our study and its subsequent limitations, the lack of a significant association between Aβ40 and the phenotype or course of the disease but with a positive correlation with p-Tau and total-Tau requires consideration. It suggests a prominent role of Aβ40 in neurodegeneration, though not a determinant of clinical manifestations or prognosis. An IWG-2 phenotype different from amnestic syndrome was reported for a third of the participants. Atypical variants of AD are estimated to represent around a third of the patients with an early onset of the disease, while they would only account for 6% of late-onset cases [39]. Although the measurement of CSF biomarkers has steadily become a standard diagnostic procedure for patients presenting to our Cognitive Disorders Clinic, the proportion of participants with non-amnestic AD phenotypes might be overrepresented in our sample as it is a helpful tool for an adequate distinction among the different neurodegenerative dementias in the case of an atypical presentation. Further studies with a prospective design are deemed to establish the role of Aβ40 within the neurodegenerative process and how its interindividual variability might influence other constituents of AD.
Conclusion
In the present study, no significant differences were found in the clinical manifestations or progression of the disease in AD patients according to their Aβ40 concentration. Aβ40 positively correlated with p-Tau and total Tau concentrations, supporting their probable interaction in AD pathophysiology.
Statement of Ethics
This study protocol was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee at Hospital Universitario La Paz on April 28th, 2022; approval number PI-5239. The study obtained a waiver of informed consent from the Ethics Committee at Hospital Universitario La Paz.
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Funding Sources
No funding was received.
Author Contributions
J.G.C. contributed to study design, manuscript writing, and data acquisition. H.M.S. and O.R.F. contributed to laboratory analysis and manuscript revision. M.H.B. and S.S.L. contributed to data acquisition and manuscript revision. A.F.G. contributed to manuscript revision and critical reading. A.M.M. contributed to study design and manuscript revision.
Data Availability Statement
All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this article. Further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.