Author: admin

“ADataViewer: exploring semantically harmonized Alzheimer’s disease cohort datasets”

Authors: Yasamin Salimi, Daniel Domingo-Fernández, Carlos Bobis-Álvarez, Martin Hofmann-Apitius & Colin Birkenbihl for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, the Japanese Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, for the Aging Brain: Vasculature, Ischemia, and Behavior Study, the Alzheimer’s Disease Repository Without Borders Investigators, for the European Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease (EPAD) Consortium

Abstract:

Background: Currently, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) cohort datasets are difficult to find and lack across-cohort interoperability, and the actual content of publicly available datasets often only becomes clear to third-party researchers once data access has been granted. These aspects severely hinder the advancement of AD research through emerging data-driven approaches such as machine learning and artificial intelligence and bias current data-driven findings towards the few commonly used, well-explored AD cohorts. To achieve robust and generalizable results, validation across multiple datasets is crucial.

Methods: We accessed and systematically investigated the content of 20 major AD cohort datasets at the data level. Both, a medical professional and a data specialist, manually curated and semantically harmonized the acquired datasets. Finally, we developed a platform that displays vital information about the available datasets.

Results: Here, we present ADataViewer, an interactive platform that facilitates the exploration of 20 cohort datasets with respect to longitudinal follow-up, demographics, ethnoracial diversity, measured modalities, and statistical properties of individual variables. It allows researchers to quickly identify AD cohorts that meet user-specified requirements for discovery and validation studies regarding available variables, sample sizes, and longitudinal follow-up. Additionally, we publish the underlying variable mapping catalog that harmonizes 1196 unique variables across the 20 cohorts and paves the way for interoperable AD datasets.

Conclusions: In conclusion, ADataViewer facilitates fast, robust data-driven research by transparently displaying cohort dataset content and supporting researchers in selecting datasets that are suited for their envisioned study. The platform is available at https://adata.scai.fraunhofer.de/.

DOI: doi.org/10.1186/s13195-022-01009-4

Published online: 21 May 2022 in the journal Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy

“Age differences in the association between sleep and Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers in the EPAD cohort”

Authors: Sharon L. Naismith, Yue Leng, Jake R. Palmer, Brendan P. Lucey

Abstract:

Introduction: We aimed to determine the independent association between sleep quality and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) biomarkers, and whether the associations differ with age.

Methods: We included 1240 individuals aged ≥50, without dementia from the European Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease v1500.0 dataset. Linear regression was used to examine Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores against cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) phosphorylated tau/β-amyloid ratio (p-tau/Aβ42) for the entire sample and via age tertiles. Models controlled for demographic, clinical, genetic, vascular, and neuroimaging variables.

Results: For the youngest age tertile, shorter sleep duration and higher sleep efficiency were associated with greater p-tau/Aβ42 ratio. For the oldest tertile, longer sleep latency was associated with greater p-tau/Aβ42.

Discussion: Differential relationships between sleep and AD pathology depend on age. Short sleep duration and sleep efficiency are relevant in middle age whereas time taken to fall asleep is more closely linked to AD biomarkers in later life.

Highlights: This study shows age differences in the link between sleep and AD biomarkers.Shorter sleep was associated with greater p-tau/Aβ42 ratio in middle age.The association was independent of genetic, vascular, and neuroimaging markers of AD.

DOI: 10.1002/dad2.12380

Published online: 25 November 2022 in the Journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia

Application of the ATN classification scheme in a population
without dementia Findings from the EPAD cohort

Associations Between Multimorbidity and Cerebrospinal Fluid
Amyloid: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the European
Prevention of Alzheimer’s Dementia (EPAD) V500.0 Cohort

At, with and beyond risk: expectations of living with
the possibility of future dementia

Brain Amyloid Pathology and Cognitive Function
Alzheimer Disease Without Dementia?

Cognitive Dispersion is not Associated with Cerebrospinal Fluid
Biomarkers of Alzheimer’s Disease: Results from the European
Prevention of Alzheimer’s Dementia (EPAD) v500.0 Cohort