Cited by 376Dementia and Cognitive Impairment ResearchAlzheimer's disease research and treatmentsNeuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms

MRI correlates of neurofibrillary tangle pathology at autopsy: A voxel-based morphometry study

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Whitwell, J. L., Josephs, K. A., Murray, M. E., Kantarci, K., Przybelski, S. A., Weigand, S. D., Vemuri, P., Senjem, M. L. +6 more·2008·Neurology

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), composed of hyperphosphorylated tau proteins, are one of the pathologic hallmarks of Alzheimer disease (AD). We aimed to determine whether patterns of gray matter atrophy from antemortem MRI correlate with Braak staging of NFT pathology. METHODS: Eighty-three subjects with Braak stage III through VI, a pathologic diagnosis of low- to high-probability AD, and MRI within 4 years of death were identified. Voxel-based morphometry assessed gray matter atrophy in each Braak stage compared with 20 pathologic control subjects (Braak stages 0 through II). RESULTS: In pairwise comparisons with Braak stages 0 through II, a graded response was observed across Braak stages V and VI, with more severe and widespread loss identified at Braak stage VI. No regions of loss were identified in Braak stage III or IV compared with Braak stages 0 through II. The lack of findings in Braak stages III and IV could be because Braak stage is based on the presence of any NFT pathology regardless of severity. Actual NFT burden may vary by Braak stage. Therefore, tau burden was assessed in subjects with Braak stages 0 through IV. Those with high tau burden showed greater gray matter loss in medial and lateral temporal lobes than those with low tau burden. CONCLUSIONS: Patterns of gray matter loss are associated with neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) pathology, specifically with NFT burden at Braak stages III and IV and with Braak stage itself at higher stages. This validates three-dimensional patterns of atrophy on MRI as an approximate in vivo surrogate indicator of the full brain topographic representation of the neurodegenerative aspect of Alzheimer disease pathology.

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  • Several studies have reported a strong negative correlation between neuronal counts and NFT number in the CA1 subfield, suggesting that the progression of brain atrophy and the progression of NFT are strongly associated.

    “Moreover, several studies have reported a strong negative correlation between neuronal counts and NFT number in the CA1 subfield (Fukutani et al., 2000; Von Gunten et al., 2006) suggesting that the progression of brain atrophy and the progression of NFT are strongly associated (Whitwell et al., 2008).”

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Authors
Whitwell, J. L., Josephs, K. A., Murray, M. E., Kantarci, K., Przybelski, S. A., Weigand, S. D., Vemuri, P., Senjem, M. L., Parisi, J. E., Knopman, D. S., Boeve, B. F., Petersen, R. C., Dickson, D. W., & Jack, C. R.
Affiliations
Mayo Clinic (US)
Venue
Neurology
Published
2008-09-02
Volume
71
Issue
10
Pages
743-749
ISSN
  • 0028-3878 (ISSN-L)
  • 1526-632X
OpenAlex
W2068338689
Cited by
376
References
38
Citations by year
2026: 19 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 21 · 2018: 26 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 23 · 2015: 22 · 2014: 26 · 2013: 29 · 2012: 28
FWCI
13.55
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neurology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Pfizer
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute on Aging (R01AG11378, K23AG030935, P50‐AG16574, U01AG06786, U01AG006786, R01AG011378, P50AG016574)
  • National Center for Research Resources (C06RR018898)
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (K12HD049078, K12 HD 49078)
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 › Neurology › Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
Keywords
neurofibrillary tangles, Alzheimer's disease, Braak staging, tau burden, gray matter atrophy, voxel-based morphometry, medial temporal lobe, lateral temporal lobe, neuropathology
MeSH terms
Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Alzheimer Disease, Autopsy, Brain Mapping, Cognition Disorders, Female, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Middle Aged, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Neurofibrillary Tangles, tau Proteins, alpha-Synuclein

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