High Levels of an Alzheimer’s Biomarker Found in Newborns

A recent study from the University of Gothenburg has found that newborn babies and Alzheimer’s patients share an unusual biological trait: higher levels of a prominent biomarker for Alzheimer’s. However, it causes no harm to the newborns.

Recent research has revealed a similarity between newborns and individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. Newborns have astonishingly high quantities of tau protein, which is also present in higher levels in older individuals with Alzheimer’s disease; however, this does not harm them. The finding may help create novel treatments or preventative measures for the neurodegenerative disease.

Abnormal chemical changes in the brain in Alzheimer’s lead the tau protein to adhere to other tau molecules, ultimately creating the characteristic toxic tangles that destroy brain cells (neurons) and connections between them. Tau has lately emerged as a well-validated target for Alzheimer’s diagnosis and treatment. 

A new worldwide study led by experts from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden has discovered a startling fact: the higher levels of tau detected in Alzheimer’s patients also occur in newborns. The finding might offer a path toward creating novel treatments for the degenerative disease.

The journal Brain Communications published the research [1].

The Recent Research: Higher p-tau Levels in Newborns

Researchers examined blood samples from over 400 individuals in a large international study that included Sweden, Spain, and Australia. These participants included young adults, older adults, healthy infants, premature babies, and those with Alzheimer’s disease. They studied phosphorylated tau at position 217 (p-tau217) in the participants. It is the first time p-tau217 concentrations have been detected directly in newborns. 

Attaching phosphate, a small chemical group, to a protein like tau causes phosphorylation, which is similar to adding a switch that alters the protein’s behavior.

Whether an infant was born prematurely or on time was strongly correlated with their p-tau217 levels. The earlier the birth, the greater the p-tau217 level, indicating that the protein was involved in early brain development. Healthy newborns had significantly higher blood levels of p-tau217 compared to healthy children, adults, and even those with Alzheimer’s.

In fact, newborns had around three times the amount of p-tau217 compared to Alzheimer’s patients. P-tau217 levels in premature infants gradually decreased throughout the first few months of life and neared adult levels by the time they were three or four months old. 

According to the study’s conclusions, elevated p-tau217 levels in newborns seemed to be normal and encouraged brain development without forming toxic tau clumps. In contrast, increased levels of p-tau217 are known to contribute to the brain pathology seen in individuals with Alzheimer’s.

Elevated p-tau217 in newborns and Alzheimer’s patients: What’s the difference?

Previous studies, mostly based on animal models, suggested that phosphorylated tau plays a role in early brain development [2,3]. This is the first time that researchers have directly quantified p-tau217 amounts in human newborn blood, paving the way for a better grasp of its developmental role. 

The interesting part, however, is that p-tau217 is linked to tau aggregation into toxic clusters known as tangles in Alzheimer’s disease, which is thought to lead to brain cell death and consequent cognitive impairment. However, in newborns, this increase in tau appears to promote normal brain development by assisting neurons in growing and forming new connections with other neurons, helping shape the structure of the developing brain. 

The study also discovered a connection between p-tau217 levels in both healthy and premature infants and their gestational age. The earlier the infant is born, the higher the amounts of this protein, suggesting a role in promoting rapid brain growth under challenging developmental conditions. Since the protein was substantially more prevalent in premature infants, it may be crucial in fostering the quick growth of the brain in newborns delivered before full term. 

A Potential Route for New Treatments

The finding that suggests our brains may have once had defenses against the harmful effects of tau, allowing newborns to tolerate and even benefit from high levels of phosphorylated tau without developing the damage associated with Alzheimer’s, is perhaps the most compelling aspect of these findings. 

Understanding how this natural defense works and its decline with age could lead to innovative treatments, according to the first author, Fernando Gonzalez-Ortiz. By understanding how the developing brain regulates tau, we may eventually be able to imitate those mechanisms to prevent or delay Alzheimer’s disease. 

In newborns, an increase in p-tau217 may be vital for brain development, but in older individuals, it serves as a warning sign. Two very distinct functions for the same molecule—one constructing the brain, the other indicating its decline.

With the FDA’s recent clearance for its use in Alzheimer’s diagnosis, plasma p-tau217 is becoming a more crucial tool in clinical settings. The authors emphasize the importance of comprehending the process behind the rise in p-tau217, particularly when interpreting it as a result of clinical and epidemiological studies as well as medication development. According to this study, increases in p-tau217 may not be primarily caused by amyloid plaques. 

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References

• Gonzalez-Ortiz, F., Vávra, J., Payne, E., Kirsebom, B.E., Sjöbom, U., Santos, C., Júlvez, J., Kramer, K., Zalcberg, D., Montoliu-Gaya, L. and Turton, M., 2025. The potential dual role of tau phosphorylation: plasma phosphorylated-tau217 in newborns and Alzheimer’s disease. Brain Communications, p.fcaf221.

• Yu, Y., Run, X., Liang, Z., Li, Y., Liu, F., Liu, Y., Iqbal, K., Grundke‐Iqbal, I. and Gong, C.X., 2009. Developmental regulation of tau phosphorylation, tau kinases, and tau phosphatases. Journal of neurochemistry, 108(6), pp.1480-1494.

• Riederer, B.M., Mourton-Gilles, C., Frey, P., Delacourte, A. and Probst, A., 2001. Differential phosphorylation of tau proteins during kitten brain development and Alzheimer’s disease. Journal of neurocytology, 30(2), pp.145-158.

• Newborns have elevated levels of a biomarker for Alzheimer’s. University of Gothenburg. https://www.gu.se/en/news/newborns-have-elevated-levels-of-a-biomarker-for-alzheimers. Published Online: 24th June, 2025. Accessed: 15th August, 2025.

• McClure, P. Alzheimer’s protein found in newborns helps, not hurts. New Atlas. https://newatlas.com/brain/phosphorylated-tau-levels-newborns-alzheimers/. Published Online: 30th June, 2025. Accessed: 15th August, 2025.

• Newborn Babies and Alzheimer’s Patients Have This Surprising Thing in Common. SciTech Daily. https://scitechdaily.com/newborn-babies-and-alzheimers-patients-have-this-surprising-thing-in-common/. Published Online: 13th July, 2025. Accessed: 15th August, 2025.

• Newborns Share Elevated p-tau217 Biomarker Seen in Alzheimer’s Disease. Technology Networks. https://www.technologynetworks.com/proteomics/news/newborns-share-elevated-p-tau217-biomarker-seen-in-alzheimers-disease-401428. Published Online: 24th June, 2025. Accessed: 15th August, 2025.
• Sidhu, R. ‘Sky-High’ Levels of Alzheimer’s Protein Found in Newborns. Science Alert. https://www.sciencealert.com/sky-high-levels-of-alzheimers-protein-found-in-newborns. Published Online: 1st July, 2025. Accessed: 15th August, 2025.