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Updated: Dec 24, 2025
An In Vitro Model for Studying Tau Aggregation Using Lentiviral-mediated Transduction of Human Neurons
Published on: May 23, 2019
In vivo network models identify sex differences in the spread of tau pathology across the brain
Sepideh Shokouhi1, Warren D Taylor1,2, Kimberly Albert1
1Center for Cognitive Medicine Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Vanderbilt University Medical Center Nashville Tennessee.
Introduction:
We examined networks of tau connectivity between brain regions based on correlations of their [18F]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.
