Overview
- An RSNA 2025 presentation using ADNI data (n=407) found Alzheimer’s blood biomarkers rose substantially faster in people with obesity over five years.
- Plasma pTau217 ratios increased 29% to 95% faster with obesity, neurofilament light rose 24% faster, and amyloid accumulation advanced 3.7% faster on average.
- At baseline, higher BMI was associated with lower blood biomarker concentrations and less amyloid on PET, which investigators attribute to dilution from greater blood volume.
- The team used multiple commercial assays and validated blood measures against amyloid PET, reporting that longitudinal blood tests were more sensitive than imaging for detecting obesity-related changes.
- Authors propose applying repeated blood biomarker testing to evaluate whether obesity treatments modify Alzheimer’s pathology, while noting the observational analysis requires peer review and replication.