Comparison of plasma levels of Alzheimer's disease biomarkers in relation to ApoE genotype in patients with mild cognitive impairment and subjective cognitive decline.

• Grant number: 25/05883-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: June 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Marcio Luiz Figueredo Balthazar
• Grantee: Beatriz Ramos Lucente
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (FCM). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 18/15571-7 - Mapping the progression of subjective cognitive decline to mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer´s disease dementia with multimodal biomarkers, AP.JP2

Abstract

Introduction: Alzheimer's Disease (AD), the leading cause of dementia, exhibits a growingprevalence due to population aging. Sporadic AD is multifactorial, with both genetic (such asthe ApoE ¿4 allele) and environmental contributions. Diagnosis using biomarkers, particularlythose based on beta-amyloid (BA) peptide and tau protein, has been evolving towards lessinvasive methods, such as blood tests. However, studies on plasma biomarkers in theBrazilian population, taking into account our population's genetic characteristics, such asApoE genotyping, are scarce. Objectives: This study aims to investigate the associationbetween the ApoE ¿4 allele and plasma levels of AD biomarkers (BA 40, BA 42,phosphorylated tau protein (p-tau) 181, total tau protein (t-tau) and their interrelationships) ina sample of 100 Brazilian individuals aged 55 years and older, stratified by cognitive status:cognitively unimpaired, subjective cognitive decline (SCD), and mild cognitive impairment(MCI). Age and sex will be considered as covariates. Materials and Methods: Theparticipants will undergo neuropsychological assessment, cranial magnetic resonanceimaging, blood samples and cerebrospinal fluid tests (except controls). Plasma biomarkerswill be measured using immunoassays on the Simoa HD-X platform. ApoE genotyping willbe performed by DNA extraction (QIAamp Blood Kit) and gene analysis using specificprimers (AU)