Plasma and neuroimaging biomarkers of small vessel disease and Alzheimer's disease in a diverse cohort: MESA

INTRODUCTIONLittle is known about how Alzheimers disease (AD) plasma biomarkers relate to cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) neuroimaging biomarkers. METHODSThe study involved 251 Wake Forest Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) Exam 6 participants with plasma AD biomarkers, MRI, amyloid PET, and adjudicated cognitive status. Multivariable models examined cross-sectional relationships between plasma and neuroimaging biomarkers, considering comorbidities. RESULTSLower A{beta}42/A{beta}40, and higher GFAP, NfL, and p-tau217 were associated with greater neurodegeneration. Lower plasma A{beta}42/A{beta}40 and higher p-tau217 and p-tau231 were associated with greater A{beta} PET deposition. NfL was positively associated with WMH and WM Free Water. P-tau measures were positively associated with WM Free Water. Lower A{beta}42/A{beta}40 was associated with presence of microbleeds. GFAP was positively associated with WMH. DISCUSSIONWe observed expected associations of plasma biomarkers with cognitive status and imaging biomarkers. GFAP, NfL, p-tau181, p-tau217, and p-tau231 are associated with cSVD in addition to AD-related pathology.