Triglyceride–glucose index, Alzheimer's disease plasma biomarkers, and dementia in older adults: The MIND‐China study

• Published in: Alzheimer's & dementia : diagnosis, assessment & disease monitoring assessment & disease monitoring, 2023-04, Vol.15 (2), p.e12426-n/a
• Main Authors: Tian, Na, Fa, Wenxin, Dong, Yi, Liu, Rui, Liu, Cuicui, Liu, Keke, Mao, Ming, Zhu, Min, Liang, Xiaoyan, Wang, Nan, Ma, Yixun, Ngandu, Tiia, Launer, Lenore J., Wang, Yongxiang, Hou, Tingting, Du, Yifeng, Qiu, Chengxuan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alzheimer's disease; Biomarkers; Cognition & reasoning; Cognitive ability; Cross-sectional studies; Data collection; Dementia; Diabetes; Glucose; Homeostasis; Insulin resistance; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Neuropathology; Neuropsychology; Older people; Plasma; plasma amyloid beta; Population; Population-based studies; population-based study; triglyceride-glucose index
• ISSN: 2352-8729; 2352-8729
• DOI: 10.1002/dad2.12426

Introduction Population‐based studies have rarely explored the associations of the triglyceride–glucose (TyG) index, a surrogate marker of insulin resistance, with dementia and plasma biomarkers for amyloid beta (Aβ) and neurodegeneration. Methods This population‐based study included 5199 participants (age ≥ 65 years); of these, plasma Aβ, total tau, and neurofilament light chain (NfL) were measured in 1287 persons. Dementia and subtypes were diagnosed following the international criteria. TyG index was calculated as ln(fasting triglyceride(mg/dL) × fasting glucose[mg/dL]/2). Data were analyzed using logistic and general linear regression models. Results Dementia, Alzheimer's disease (AD), and vascular dementia (VaD) were diagnosed in 301, 195, and 95 individuals, respectively. A high TyG index was significantly associated with increased likelihoods of dementia and AD; the significant association with dementia remained among participants without cardiovascular disease or diabetes. In the biomarker subsample, a high TyG index was correlated with elevated plasma Aβ, but not with total tau or NfL. Discussion High TyG index is associated with dementia, possibly via Aβ pathology.