Table 5. Comparison of directions of changes (↓decrease, ↑increase) in the plasma levels and statistical significance for the 15 miRNAs in the pilot and in the verification experiment.

miRNA (hsa-miR)	AD1 vs CTR1	AD2 vs CTR2	MCI-AD1 vs CTR1	MCI-AD2 vs CTR2	Published earlier in AD	Ref.
151a-5p	↓	↓***	↓*	↓
30b-5p	↓**	↓**	↓**	↓
486-5p	↑	↑***	↑	↑***
33a-5p	↓*	↓	↓	↑
483-5p	↑*	↑****	↑**	↑***
18a-5p	↓*	↓	↓*	↓
320a	↑**	↑	↑	↑
320b	↑**	↑	↑*	↑
320c	↑**	↑	↑*	↓
502-3p	↑*	↑****	↑	↑**	Whole blood (↓)	[28]
103a-3p	↓*	↓**	↓*	↓	Whole blood (↓)	[22]
301a-3p	↓*	↓	↓	↓	Plasma (↓)	[21]
142-3p	↓**	↓	↓**	↓	Plasma (↓)	[21, 87]
200a-3p	↑**	↑**	↑*	↑*	Blood mononuclear cells (200a) (↑)	[30]
1260a	↑*	↑	↑	↑	Cortex (Brain)	[57]

For 6 miRNAs direction of changes for AD versus control were compared also with the published results. Data for 9 miRNAs reported here for the first time as AD biomarker candidates have no references. Statistical significance (one-way ANOVA with post-hoc Tukey HSD p-value): *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001; ****p < 0.0001. Comparisons for AD patient groups versus control groups and for MCI-AD (early AD) patient groups versus control groups are shown.