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Associations of plasma p-Tau217 with cognitive domain performance in clinically unimpaired participants: Evidence
Zara Najmi1, Anhiti Dharmapuri2, Joey A Contreras3
1Department of Neuroscience University of California Berkley Berkley California USA.
Introduction:
The relationship between plasma phosphorylated tau 217 (p-Tau217) and domain-specific cognitive performance across race and ethnic groups remains unclear.
Methods:
We analyzed data from 2052 clinically unimpaired participants from the Health & Aging Brain Study-Health Disparities cohort. Using adjusted multivariable linear regressions, we evaluated the associations between p-Tau217 and cognitive scores (immediate and delayed memory, attention/processing speed, executive function, and language). Analyses were conducted in the overall sample, stratified by race and ethnicity, and in an age- and sex-matched subsample (n = 1032).
Results:
Plasma p-Tau217 levels were lower in Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) and Hispanic participants (p < 0.001) despite lower cognitive scores (p < 0.001). Higher p-Tau217 was associated with worse cognition overall (β -0.05 to -0.11). Associations were strongest in Non-Hispanic White (NHW), limited in NHB, and domain-specific in Hispanic groups. Matched analyses attenuated effects.
Discussion:
Plasma p-Tau217 is associated with domain-specific cognitive performance in clinically unimpaired individuals, but these associations vary across racial and ethnic groups.
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