The association between mesial temporal tau with age, cognition and neocortical tau in Aβ cognitively unimpaired individuals using MK‐6240: Molecular and cell biology/tau. (7th December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Krishnadas, Natasha; Groot, Colin; Dore, Vincent; Burnham, Samantha C.; Huang, Kun; Masters, Colin L.; Martins, Ralph N.; Maruff, Paul T.; Ames, David; Fripp, Jurgen; Bourgeat, Pierrick; Goh, Anita M.Y.; Villemagne, Victor L.L.; Rowe, Christopher C.
• Is Part Of: Alzheimer's & dementia. Volume 16(2020)Supplement 3
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2020-12-07
• Subjects: Alzheimer's disease -- Periodicals; Alzheimer Disease -- Periodicals; Dementia -- Periodicals; Démence; Maladie d'Alzheimer; Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 616.83
• DOI: 10.1002/alz.045713
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1552-5260

Abstract

Abstract: Background: It has been proposed that tau deposition in the mesial temporal lobe (MTL) is an age‐related occurrence. We investigated the effects of high mesial temporal tau on age, cognition and neocortical tau in Aβ‐ cognitively unimpaired individuals (CU). Method: 187 Aβ‐ cognitively unimpaired older adults (≥60 years) from the AIBL cohort were included in this study. MK‐6240 retention was assessed in the amygdala, hippocampus, parahippocampus and entorhinal cortex and in a composite mesial temporal (Me) region. We assessed the association between regional and neocortical retention, age and cognition (MMSE, composite memory scores (CMS), composite non‐memory scores (CNMS) and the AIBL preclinical Alzheimer cognitive composite (AIBL‐PACC)). Two thresholds were used to stratify the cohort into two groups according to Me tau SUVR: 1) using the 95th percentile of the cohort; and 2) using two standard deviations (SD) above the mean. Results: MK‐6240 Me retention was correlated with age (rs = 0.19, p = 0.01). Those with higher Me retention also had higher retention in all other neocortical regions, as well as higher retention in all four Me sub‐regions. Using the 95th percentile cut‐point, those with higher Me retention performed significantly worse on the CMS (t = 1.89, p = 0.03, Cohen's d = 0.66) and the CNMS (t = ‐1.90, p=0.03, d = 0.69), which remained significant for the CMS after correction for age. There was a trend toward significance on the MMSE (t =‐1.40, p = 0.08, d =0.43) and PACC (‐1.37, p= 0.09, d = 0.47). These findings should be interpreted with caution, given the small sample of participants above the cut‐off ( n =10). When stratified using the 2 SD cut‐point, the resulting sample size of the higher retention group was too small ( n =5) to be reliably interpreted. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate an association between mesial temporal tau with age and neocortical tau deposition. The relationship to cognition should be further validated in a larger cohort.