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Updated: Jan 7, 2026
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Dried Blood Spot Collection of Health Biomarkers to Maximize Participation in Population Studies
Published on: January 28, 2014
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Biomarkers
Biqi Wang1, Huitong Ding2,3, Derek Qi4
1University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
Alzheimer'S & Dementia : the Journal of the Alzheimer'S Association
|December 24, 2025
Summary
Accelerated brain aging correlates with lower cognitive function and increased risk of Alzheimer's disease and stroke. Plasma biomarkers may help monitor brain health and identify at-risk individuals.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genomics
- Biomarker Discovery
Background:
- Brain aging is critical for understanding cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases.
- Early detection of brain aging markers enables timely interventions for age-related neurological conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between brain aging, cognitive function, and neurodegenerative disease risk.
- To identify potential plasma-based biomarkers for monitoring cognitive health.
Main Methods:
- Utilized UK Biobank proteomics data (Olink) and Framingham Heart Study (FHS) data (SOMAscan).
- Calculated brain age, non-organ-specific age, and proteomic age using LASSO regression.
- Assessed associations with cognitive function via linear regression and disease risk via Cox models.
Main Results:
- Accelerated brain aging correlated with chronological age (r=0.72) and lower cognitive scores in 53,005 UK Biobank participants.
- Accelerated brain aging increased risk for Alzheimer's disease (HR=1.88) and stroke (HR=1.30).
- Replication in FHS showed association with lower attention (P=0.03) and increased stroke risk (HR=1.19).
Conclusions:
- Brain aging is linked to cognitive performance and brain-related disease risk across two cohorts.
- Plasma biomarkers show potential for monitoring cognitive health and identifying individuals at risk for neurological diseases.
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