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Whether plasma total tau levels are associated with incident cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or dementia is unclear.
To investigate this issue, researchers followed a cohort of 458 individuals with normal cognition or MCI from a population-based study (mean age, 81; 63% male) who had plasma total tau levels measured. Participants also underwent brain amyloid β positron emission tomography imaging.
Findings were as follows:
Among all participants, 27% had MCI, and 57% had elevated amyloid β.
Cognitively normal individuals with plasma total tau levels in the middle or highest tertile were twice as likely to develop MCI compared with those in the lowest tertile.
Among individuals with MCI, higher plasma total tau levels were not…