Gray matter structural networks related to 18F-THK5351 retention in cognitively normal older adults and Alzheimer's disease patients

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to examine the alterations in gray matter networks related to tau retention in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and cognitively normal (CN) older individuals. Methods: Eighteen amyloid-positive AD patients and 30 age- and sex-matched amyloid-negative CN controls were enrolled. All underwent 3D T1-weighted MRI, amyloid positron-emission tomography imaging (PET) with 11C-Pittsburgh Compound B (PiB), and tau PET with 18F-THK5351. The structural networks extracted from the T1-weighted MRI data based on cortical similarities within single subjects were analyzed. Based on graph theoretical approach, global and local network properties across the whole brain were computed. Group comparisons of global and local network properties were evaluated between the groups. Then, we correlated the global and local network measures with total cerebral 18F-THK5351 retention. Results: AD patients moved toward more randomized global network compared to controls and regional differences were observed in the default mode network (DMN) area. No significant correlations existed between global network properties and tau retention. On a local level, AD and controls showed opposite relationships between network properties and tau retention mainly in the DMN areas; CN controls showed positive correlations, whereas AD showed negative correlations. Conclusion: We found opposite relationships between local network properties and tau retention between amyloid-positive AD patients and amyloid-negative controls. Our findings suggest that the presence of amyloid and induced exacerbated tau retention alter the relationship of local network properties and tau retention.

Keywords

• Alzheimer's disease
• Graph theory
• Gray matter
• Magnetic resonance imaging
• Single-subject