Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 23, 2026

Measuring Statistical Learning Across Modalities and Domains in School-Aged Children Via an Online Platform and Neuroimaging Techniques
Published on: June 30, 2020
Plasma and CSF neurofilament light: Relation to longitudinal neuroimaging and cognitive measures
Michelle M Mielke1, Jeremy A Syrjanen2, Kaj Blennow2
1From the Departments of Health Sciences Research (M.M. Mielke, J.A.S., W.K.K., R.C.P., S.K.), Neurology (M.M. Mielke, D.S.K., R.C.P.), Radiology (P.V., C.J.), and Psychiatry and Psychology (M.M. Machulda), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry (K.B., H.Z., I.S., S.K.), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg; Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory (K.B., H.Z.), Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden; Institute of Neurology (H.Z.), University College London, Queen Square; and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL (H.Z.), London, UK. mielke.michelle@mayo.edu.
Objective:
We aimed to (1) assess and compare baseline plasma and CSF neurofilament light (NfL) for cross-sectional and longitudinal associations with neuroimaging or cognition and (2) determine whether change in plasma NfL corresponded with change in these outcomes.
Methods:
Seventy-nine participants without dementia, median age 76 years, had plasma and CSF NfL, neuropsychological testing, and neuroimaging (MRI, amyloid PET, FDG-PET) at the same study visit, and a repeat visit (15 or 30 months later) with both plasma NfL and neuroimaging. Plasma NfL was measured on the Simoa-HD1 Platform and CSF NfL with an in-house ELISA. Linear mixed effects models were used to examine the associations between baseline plasma or CSF NfL and cognitive and neuroimaging outcomes adjusting for age, sex, and education. The relationship between change in plasma NfL and change in the outcomes was assessed using linear regression.
Results:
There were no cross-sectional associations between CSF or plasma NfL and any neuroimaging or cognitive measure. Longitudinally, higher baseline plasma NfL was associated with worsening in all neuroimaging measures, except amyloid PET, and global cognition. Higher baseline CSF NfL was associated with worsening in cortical thickness and diffusion MRI. The beta estimates for CSF NfL were similar to those for plasma NfL. Change in plasma NfL was associated with change in global cognition, attention, and amyloid PET.
Conclusion:
Elevated baseline plasma NfL is a prognostic marker of cognitive decline and neuroimaging measures of neurodegeneration, and has similar effect sizes to baseline CSF NfL. Change in plasma NfL also tracked with short-term cognitive change.
More Related Videos
07:04A High-performance Liquid Chromatography Measurement of Kynurenine and Kynurenic Acid: Relating Biochemistry to Cognition and Sleep in Rats
Published on: August 19, 2018
08:10Neuroimaging Field Methods Using Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy NIRS Neuroimaging to Study Global Child Development: Rural Sub-Saharan Africa
Published on: February 2, 2018
Related Concept Videos
Longitudinal Research
Cognitive Dissonance
Longitudinal Studies
Relative Risk
Light as Energy
Photons
A photon is a discrete electromagnetic particle or bundle of energy. Photons are characterized by their frequency, wavelength, and amplitude, similar to the properties of a wave. Waves with higher frequencies transmit more energy and have shorter wavelengths than longer wavelengths that transmit...
Light Acquisition