Evidence Hub

Effect of 6-week tadalafil treatment on blood-based biomarkers of neurodegeneration: A post-hoc analysis of a randomized controlled trial

E. Fryk, Vagner Ramon Rodrigues Silva, L. Strindberg, M. Gisslén, H. Zetterberg, K. Blennow, Per-Anders Jansson

Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 2026

15 participants

Abstract

Phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors may be beneficial in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We assessed the PDE-5 inhibitor tadalafil effect on plasma biomarkers of neurodegeneration in 15 individuals with type 2 diabetes post-hoc in a randomized placebo-controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02601989) at Sahlgrenska University Hospital. Tadalafil reduced plasma amyloid-β 40 and 42 but not the 42/40 ratio over a 6-week treatment period. Glial fibrillary acidic protein was reduced, but not phosphorylated tau217, neurofilament light protein or growth/differentiation factor 15. Tadalafil reduced plasma levels of biomarkers for amyloid metabolism and astroglial activation in patients with diabetes. Designated clinical trials are warranted to validate these results.

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a secondary / pooled analysis, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 15 participants or records.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

Read the paper

Related studies

Go deeper in Evidence Hub

Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.

Open this study Sign up free