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The Spatial Memory Game: Testing the Relationship Between Spatial Language, Object Knowledge, and Spatial Cognition
Published on: February 19, 2018
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Tau and atrophy: domain-specific relationships with cognition
Leonardino A Digma1, John R Madsen1, Emilie T Reas1
1Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Alzheimer'S Research & Therapy
|July 29, 2019
Summary
Alzheimer
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Radiology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) presents with memory loss, progressing to broader cognitive decline.
- Understanding the relationship between brain changes and cognitive function is crucial for AD research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how cognitive performance correlates with tau deposition and cortical thickness in Alzheimer's disease.
- To compare the sensitivity of tau positron emission tomography (PET) and MRI-derived cortical thickness in detecting cognitive decline.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from 131 participants (Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative) including cognitively normal, mild cognitive impairment, and AD.
- Utilized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), flortaucipir (tau-PET), and neuropsychological testing.
- Employed surface-based analyses to correlate tau deposition and cortical thickness with cognitive test scores.
Main Results:
- Tau deposition and cortical thickness showed differential relationships with cognitive performance across various domains.
- Tau-PET associations with cognition were more extensive than those with cortical thickness.
- Patterns of tau deposition aligned with specific cortical systems supporting different cognitive functions.
Conclusions:
- Cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease reflects tau progression and brain atrophy in connected neural circuits.
- Tau-PET imaging may offer greater sensitivity in detecting AD-related cognitive decline compared to MRI-based cortical thickness measurements.
Keywords:
AtrophyCognitionMagnetic resonance imagingNeuropsychologyPositron emission tomographySurface-based analysisTauThicknessMore Related Videos
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