The genetically predicted increase in the levels of 11 plasma proteins were associated with higher risk of AD, with the top five risk-associated proteins including B-cell linker protein (BLNK) (OR = 2.06, 95% CI: 1.54–2.74, P = 8.5 × 10− 7), cardiotrophin-1 (CTF1) (OR = 1.82, 95% CI: 1.33–2.48, P = 1.6 × 10− 4), Hsc70-interacting protein (ST13) (OR = 1.76, 95% CI: 1.31–2.36, P = 1.7 × 10− 4), dentin matrix acidic phosphoprotein 1 (DMP1) (OR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.27–2.37, P = 5.3 × 10− 4), neprilysin (MME) (OR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.26–2.24, P = 4.5 × 10− 4) (Additional File 1: Table S2). Here, CTF1 is linked to Alzheimer disease.