Blood BMP6 Associated with Cognitive Performance and Alzheimer's Disease Diagnosis: A Longitudinal Study of Elders

Background: Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) plays important roles in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Objective: We sought blood BMP6 involved in the processes underlying cognitive decline and detected them in association with AD. Methods: A total of 309 participants in Shanghai Mental Health Center (SMHC) and 547 participants in Alzheimer's disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) cohort were included. Blood BMP6 and cognitive functions were measured in all subjects of both cohorts at baseline, and in 482 subjects of ADNI cohort after one year. A total of 300 subjects in ADNI cohort were detected cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tau biomarker, and 244 received 1-year follow-up. Results: AD patients had lower levels of blood BMP6 compared to normal controls, and BMP6 was positively associated with cognitive functions. Longitudinal BMP6 combing with APOE genotype could distinguish probable AD from normal controls. The influence of blood BMP6 on cognition was modulated by tau pathology. Conclusion: Blood BMP6 was associated with cognitive performance and identified as a potential predictor for probable AD.