Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41526986›Full record

ArticleMolecular neurodegeneration2026

Systemic complement factors in aging, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias: a longitudinal study over 10 years.

Xiaofeng Fu, Huimin Cai, Shuiyue Quan, Weiyun Zhang, Yumei Geng, Qing Tian, Ziye Ren, Yinghao Xu, Chengyu An, Jiaqi Li and 10 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Molecular neurodegeneration, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

20 authors.

Xiaofeng FuDepartment of Neurology & Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.
Huimin CaiDepartment of Neurology & Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.
Shuiyue QuanDepartment of Neurology & Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.
Weiyun ZhangDepartment of Neurology & Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.
Yumei GengDepartment of Neurology & Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.
Qing TianDepartment of Neurology & Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.
Ziye RenDepartment of Neurology & Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.
Yinghao XuDepartment of Neurology & Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.
Chengyu AnDepartment of Neurology & Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.
Jiaqi LiDepartment of Neurology & Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.
Changbiao ChuDepartment of Neurology & Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.
Wei WangDepartment of Neurology & Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.
Yana PangDepartment of Neurology & Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.
QianQian WangDepartment of Neurology & Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.
Lu LuDepartment of Neurology & Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.
Qi WangDepartment of Neurology & Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.
Yan LiDepartment of Neurology & Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.
Fangyu LiDepartment of Neurology & Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.
Shuya NieDepartment of Neurology & Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.
Longfei JiaDepartment of Neurology & Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China. longfei@mail.ccmu.edu.cn.

Funding

Beijing Brain Initiative from Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission Z201100005520016Beijing Municipal Natural Science Foundation 7202061Capital's Funds for Health Improvement and Research 2022-2-2017National Natural Science Foundation of China 81870825, 82071194STI2030-Major Projects 2022ZD0211600, 2022ZD0211605
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundComplement dysregulation is increasingly recognized in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the temporal profile of complement alterations preceding AD onset and their distinction from age-related immune changes remain poorly defined. Clarifying these dynamics could provide insights into AD pathogenesis and identify systemic factors that predict disease onset and progression.

methodsWe conducted a study involving two cohorts: a longitudinal cohort (n = 235; all cognitively normal at baseline) and a cross-sectional cohort (n = 323; including 53 with AD, 54 with vascular dementia, 51 with Parkinson's disease dementia, 56 with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia, and 52 with dementia with Lewy bodies). Plasma levels of 14 complement factors were assessed every 2 years over a 10-year follow-up period in the longitudinal cohort and once in the cross-sectional cohort.

resultsIn the longitudinal cohort, aging was accompanied by gradual reductions in C4, C4b, Factor I, and Properdin and by increases in Factor D. These changes were more pronounced in individuals who subsequently developed AD. Importantly, this pattern of complement alterations was detectable during the preclinical and clinical phases of AD but was not observed in other dementias. In the cross-sectional cohort, the same complement profile was specific to AD and distinguished it from other dementia subtypes.

conclusionsThe results of this study indicate an AD-specific peripheral complement signature associated with disease development, highlighting complement factors as critical immune mediators that link aging and AD. This signature implicates complement factors as promising systemic markers for early detection and potential therapeutic targeting in preclinical AD.

Indexed as

AgingAlzheimer DiseaseComplement System ProteinsDementiaAgedAged, 80 and overCohort StudiesCross-Sectional StudiesDisease ProgressionFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedComplement System Proteins

Identifiers

PMID41526986
PMCPMC12888596

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.