Figure 3.

The statistics for mediation models were performed only for the plasma NfL level, the right superior temporal gyrus volume, and the neuropsychiatric subtest results that pass the partial correlation. The mediation relationship models for the plasma NfL level, the right superior temporal gyrus volume, (a) picture completion, and (b) digit span after controlling for age, gender, and education. The two models verifying the poorer neuropsychiatric performances in picture completion and digit span were caused by the vulnerable brain regions loss damaged by the elevated plasma NfL level via a full mediation effect.