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Updated: Sep 3, 2025
Author Spotlight: Preservation of Bioenergetic Parameters in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells After Cryopreservation
Published on: October 20, 2023
Blood-based bioenergetic profiling reveals differences in mitochondrial function associated with cognitive
Gargi Mahapatra1, Zhengrong Gao1, James R Bateman1,2
1Section on Gerontology and Geriatrics, Sticht Center for Healthy Aging and Alzheimer's Prevention, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.
Blood cell bioenergetics reflect cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Lower mitochondrial function in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and platelets is linked to dementia, offering a potential biomarker for AD progression.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Mitochondrial Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Mitochondrial dysfunction is an early event in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis.
- Reliable methods for monitoring systemic bioenergetic alterations in AD are lacking.
- Peripheral blood cells can serve as accessible reporters of central nervous system health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and platelets as biomarkers of mitochondrial function in cognitive impairment and AD.
- To correlate blood-based bioenergetic parameters with cognitive status and brain morphology.
Main Methods:
- Analyzed mitochondrial function using respirometry in PBMCs and platelets from individuals with normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and probable AD dementia.
- Assessed cognitive function and brain morphology (hippocampal volume, white matter hyperintensities).
Main Results:
- PBMC and platelet bioenergetic parameters were significantly lower in dementia participants.
- Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) platelets showed higher maximal respiration compared to normocognitive controls.
- Blood bioenergetics positively correlated with cognitive performance and hippocampal volume, and negatively with white matter hyperintensities.
Conclusions:
- Blood-based bioenergetic profiling offers a minimally invasive method to assess systemic mitochondrial dysfunction in dementia.
- These findings suggest potential for monitoring AD risk, progression, and therapeutic interventions.
