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Plasma Tau Association with Brain Atrophy in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s Disease

Deters, KD; Risacher, SL; Kim, S; Nho, K; West, JD; Blennow, K; Zetterberg, H; ... Alzheimer Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, ADNI; + view all (2017) Plasma Tau Association with Brain Atrophy in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s Disease. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease , 58 (4) pp. 1245-1254. 10.3233/JAD-161114. Green open access

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Peripheral (plasma) and central (cerebrospinal fluid, CSF) measures of tau are higher in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) relative to prodromal stages and controls. While elevated CSF tau concentrations have been shown to be associated with lower grey matter density (GMD) in AD-specific regions, this correlation has yet to be examined for plasma in a large study. OBJECTIVE: Determine the neuroanatomical correlates of plasma tau using voxel-based analysis. METHODS: Cross-sectional data for 508 ADNI participants were collected for clinical, plasma total-tau (t-tau), CSF amyloid (Aβ₄₂) and tau, and MRI variables. The relationship between plasma tau and GMD and between CSF t-tau and GMD were assessed on a voxel-by-voxel basis using regression models. Age, sex, APOE ɛ4 status, diagnosis, and total intracranial volume were used as covariates where appropriate. Participants were defined as amyloid positive (Aβ+) if CSF Aβ₄₂ was <192 pg/mL. RESULTS: Plasma tau was negatively correlated with GMD in the medial temporal lobe (MTL), precuneus, thalamus, and striatum. The associations with thalamus and striatum were independent of diagnosis. A negative correlation also existed between plasma tau and GMD in Aβ+ participants in the MTL, precuneus, and frontal lobe. When compared to CSF t-tau, plasma tau showed a notably different associated brain atrophy pattern, with only small overlapping regions in the fusiform gyrus. CONCLUSION: Plasma tau may serve as a non-specific marker for neurodegeneration but is still relevant to AD considering low GMD was associated with plasma tau in Aβ+ participants and not Aβ–participants.

Type: Article
Title: Plasma Tau Association with Brain Atrophy in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s Disease
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.3233/JAD-161114
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-161114
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords: Alzheimer disease, magnetic resonance imaging, mild cognitive impairment, plasma, tau protein
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology > Neurodegenerative Diseases
URI: https://discovery-pp.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10066236
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