Plasma neurofilament light as blood marker for poor brain white matter integrity among middle-aged urban adults

Plasma neurofilament light chain (NfL)’s link to dementia may be mediated through white matter integrity (WMI). In this study, we examined plasma NfL's relationships with diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging markers: global and cortical white matter fractional anisotropy (FA) and trace (TR). Plasma NfL measurements at 2 times (v1: 2004–2009 and v2: 2009–2013) and ancillary dMRI (vscan: 2011–2015) were considered (n = 163, mean time v1 to vscan = 5.4 year and v2 to vscan: 1.1 year). Multivariable-adjusted regression models, correcting for multiple-testing revealed that, overall, higher NfLv1 was associated with greater global TR (β ± SE: +0.0000560 ± 0.0000186, b = 0.27, p = 0.003, q = 0.012), left frontal WM TR: β ± SE: + 0.0000706 ± 0.0000201, b ± 0.30, p = 0.001, q = 0.0093 and right frontal WM TR: β ± SE: + 0.0000767 ± 0.000021, b ± 0.31, p < 0.001, q = 0.0093). These associations were mainly among males and White adults. Among African American adults only, NfLv2 was associated with greater left temporal lobe TR. “Tracking high” in NfL was associated with reduced left frontal FA (Model 2, body mass index-adjusted: β ± SE:-0.01084 ± 0.00408, p = 0.009). Plasma NfL is a promising biomarker predicting future brain white matter integrity (WMI) in middle-aged adults.