Higher Cerebrospinal Fluid Levels of Amyloid-ß40 Following Traumatic Brain Injury Relate to Confrontation Naming Performance.

ABSTRACT

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) may confer risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD) through amyloid-ß (Aß) overproduction. However, the relationship between TBI and Aß levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) remains unclear. Objective: To explore whether Aß overproduction is implicated in the relationship between TBI and AD, we compared CSF levels of Aß in individuals with a TBI history versus controls (CTRLs) and related CSF Aß levels to cognitive markers associated with preclinical AD. Methods: Participants were 112 non-impaired Veterans (TBI = 56, CTRL = 56) from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative-Department of Defense database with available cognitive data (Boston Naming Test [BNT], Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test [AVLT]) and CSF measures of Aß42, Aß40, and Aß38. Mediation models explored relationships between TBI history and BNT scores with Aß peptides as mediators. Results: The TBI group had higher CSF Aß40 (t = -2.43, p = 0.017) and Aß38 (t = -2.10, p = 0.038) levels than the CTRL group, but groups did not differ in CSF Aß42 levels or Aß42/Aß40 ratios (p > 0.05). Both Aß peptides negatively correlated with BNT (Aß40 rho = -0.20, p = 0.032; Aß38 rho = -0.19, p = 0.048) but not AVLT (p > 0.05). Aß40 had a significant indirect effect on the relationship between TBI and BNT performance (ß= -0.16, 95% CI [-0.393, -0.004], PM = 0.54). Conclusions: TBI may increase AD risk and cognitive vulnerability through Aß overproduction. Biomarker models incorporating multiple Aß peptides may help identify AD risk among those with TBI.