Key result
Higher plasma S100B levels were associated with poorer episodic memory performance (β = -0.031, p < 0.001), with synergistic negative effects observed in those with low parietal blood-brain barrier water exchange rate or increased deep white matter hyperintensities.
Why the study?
A combination of biofluid and neuroimaging markers may better profile early stage vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia than individual measures.
Cross-Sectional (n=74)
No
Effect estimate: β = -0.031 (95% CI -0.047 to -0.014)
p-value: p=<0.001
The combined use of biofluid markers (S100B) and neuroimaging measures of cerebrovascular disease (BBB kw and WMHs) may better profile early-stage vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia.
Plasma S100B plus BBB neuroimaging markers was associated with memory performance in older adults; hypothesis-generating for VCID biomarker development.
There is growing interest in studying vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID) and developing biomarkers to identify at-risk individuals. A combination of biofluid and neuroimaging markers may better profile early stage VCID than individual measures. Here, we tested this possibility focusing on plasma levels of S100 calcium-binding protein B (S100B), which has been linked with blood–brain-barrier (BBB) integrity, and neuroimaging measures assessing BBB function (water exchange rate across the BBB (k w )) and cerebral small vessel disease (white matter hyperintensities (WMHs)). A total of 74 older adults without dementia had plasma samples collected and underwent cognitive assessment. A subsample had neuroimaging data including diffusion prepared pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (DP-pCASL) for assessment of BBB k w and T2-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) for quantification of WMHs. Results indicated that higher plasma S100B levels were associated with poorer episodic memory performance ( β = − .031, SE = .008, p < .001). Moreover, significant interactions were observed between plasma S100B levels and parietal lobe BBB k w (interaction β = .095, SE = .042, p = .028) and between plasma S100B levels and deep WMH volume (interaction β = − .025, SE = .009, p = .007) for episodic memory. Individuals with the poorest memory performance showed both high plasma S100B and either low BBB k w in the parietal lobe or increased deep WMH burden. Taken together, our results provide support for the combined use of biofluid and neuroimaging markers in the study of VCID.
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Pappas et al. (2025) conducted a cross-sectional in Cognitive impairment and cerebrovascular disease (n=74). Plasma S100B levels was evaluated on Episodic memory performance (β = -0.031, 95% CI -0.047 to -0.014, p=<0.001). Higher plasma S100B levels were associated with poorer episodic memory performance (β = -0.031, p < 0.001), with synergistic negative effects observed in those with low parietal blood-brain barrier water exchange rate or increased deep white matter hyperintensities.
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