When considering baseline cognitive status only CRP (β-coefficient = − 0.752 and P-value = 0.042) remained associated with the presence of NPS; and both CRP (β-coefficient = − 0.784 and P-value = 0.033), and VEGF-D (β-coefficient = − 2.22 and P-value = 0.044) were associated with the presence of NPS when considering the CSF AD biomarker profile. This evidence concerns the gene VEGFD and Alzheimer disease.