Cited by 35Dementia and Cognitive Impairment ResearchAlzheimer's disease research and treatmentsFunctional Brain Connectivity Studies

In vivo network models identify sex differences in the spread of tau pathology across the brain

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Shokouhi, Sepideh, Taylor, Warren D., Albert, Kimberly, Kang, Hakmook, Newhouse, Paul A., The Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative·2020·Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: F]flortaucipir positron emission tomography (PET) uptake to evaluate sex-specific differences in brain-wide tau propagation. METHODS: PET data of clinically normal and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) subjects from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) were used to examine differences in network architectures across the groups. RESULTS: The tau-based network architecture resembled progression of tauopathy from Braak stage I to VI regions. Compared to men, women had higher network density and an increased number of direct regional connections in co-occurrence with increased brain-wide tau burden, particularly at MCI. Several regions, including superior parietal lobe and parahippocampus served as connecting bridges between communities at different Braak stages. DISCUSSION: Network characteristics in women may favor an accelerated brain-wide tau spread leading to a higher tau burden in women than men with MCI with implications for the greater female preponderance in Alzheimer's disease diagnosis.

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  • The network architecture of tau-based brain-region connectivity networks in women favors a more rapid spread of neurofibrillary tangles in the brain.

    “the network architecture in women favored a more rapid spread of neurofibrillary tangles in the brain [59].”

    From Sex specific molecular networks and key drivers of Alzheimer’s disease (2023) · cites this paper as [59]

    The Abstract’s Discussion says network characteristics in women *may* favor accelerated brain-wide tau spread. The citing sentence removes that uncertainty and presents faster spread as established; the paper’s Discussion also frames the mechanism as a hypothesis, particularly in relation to women with MCI. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • Tau-based brain-region connectivity networks have distinct architectures in males and females.

    “a recent study revealed the distinct architectures of tau-based brain-region connectivity networks in males and females”

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Shokouhi, S., Taylor, W. D., Albert, K., Kang, H., Newhouse, P. A., & Initiative, T. A. D. N.
Affiliations
  • Vanderbilt University Medical Center (US)
  • VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System (US)
Corresponding author
Shokouhi, Sepideh
Venue
Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2020-01
Volume
12
Issue
1
Pages
e12016-e12016
ISSN
2352-8729 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3015861582
Cited by
35
References
11
Citations by year
2025: 6 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 1
FWCI
3.65
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Alzheimer s & Dementia Diagnosis Assessment & Disease Monitoring (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
National Science Foundation (R00 EB009106, K24 MH110598, R01 AG047992)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
Keywords
tau pathology, sex differences, Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment, brain network architecture, network density, Braak staging, parahippocampal region, superior parietal lobule, tau propagation

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