Do serum neurofilament light and tau levels predict all-cause mortality in the elderly general population?
Serum NfL levels may serve as a prognostic marker for all-cause mortality in elderly individuals without overt neurological disease.
The association between NfL serum levels and brain atrophy and neuropsychological performance in individuals without overt neurological disease is similar to that seen in patients with neurodegenerative diseases. These findings support the concept of a continuum of physiological aging and incipient, subclinical pathology, and manifest disease. NfL, but not tau, serum levels might serve as a prognostic marker for all-cause mortality if no other clinical information is available.
Rübsamen et al. (Mon,) studied this question.