Blood Biomarker Study Reveals Population-Specific Differences in Alzheimer’s Disease
Posted on 14 Aug 2026
Blood-based biomarkers are emerging as tools for detecting Alzheimer’s disease–related changes without relying on advanced brain imaging or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis. However, much of the foundational research has been conducted in high-income countries and largely among people of European ancestry, raising questions about how well existing biomarkers generalize across populations. Differences in comorbidities and other population-specific factors may also influence biomarker levels. A new study shows that Alzheimer’s-related protein signatures vary across populations, underscoring the need to validate blood-based assays in diverse settings.
Researchers at the University of Gothenburg conducted the largest Alzheimer’s biomarker analysis to date in Africa, combining plasma proteomic profiling with established tau biomarkers. The team examined how levels of numerous blood proteins relate to probable amyloid pathology and cognitive impairment, providing a broader view of disease-associated molecular patterns that could potentially be detected without advanced imaging or CSF testing.
The researchers analyzed blood samples from 949 adults aged 50 years and older in Nigeria. Key findings were then evaluated in an independent cohort of 196 older adults in Tanzania and compared with detailed data from a Canadian study. The work involved the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg in collaboration with the University of Ibadan in Nigeria.
Results showed that several established tau biomarkers exhibited similar patterns across African and North American groups when participants were grouped by likely amyloid status. In contrast, the broader plasma proteome revealed population-specific differences and appeared more similar between the Nigerian and Tanzanian cohorts than between the African and Canadian groups. Protein levels were also associated with comorbid conditions such as heart disease, prior infectious disease, and high cholesterol, indicating these factors should inform interpretation and reference values.
The study, published in Nature Communications, noted a key methodological limitation: amyloid pathology in the African cohorts was not confirmed by imaging or CSF; instead, classification relied on blood phosphorylated tau 217 (p‑tau217) thresholds validated in non‑Hispanic white populations, which are unlikely to be optimally suited to the African groups.
“As blood tests begin to be used to diagnose Alzheimer's disease in different parts of the world, we need to know how well the markers work across different populations. Otherwise, we risk misdiagnosis because much of today's knowledge is based on a limited part of the world's population. People in different parts of the world may face different risk factors and environmental exposures and have different comorbidities,” said Andrea Benedet, a researcher at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg.
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Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg
