Hypometabolic subtypes of AD are linked to comorbid hippocampal sclerosis and Lewy body pathology

Neuroimaging studies have identified distinct 'typical/neocortical' and 'limbic-predominant' hypometabolic subtypes of AD with different clinical and biomarker characteristics. We investigated associations of these subtypes with postmortem neuropathological measures in an observational study.

Antemortem FDG-PET scans of 74 participants from the ADNI autopsy cohort were classified into previously described typical/neocortical and limbic-predominant subtype patterns. We used Bayesian regression and ANCOVA to test associations between the subtypes and neuropathological features.

Results were inconclusive for Thal phases, Braak stages, CERAD neuritic plaque scores, hippocampal tangle density, and TDP-43 pathology (BF₁₀ between 0.447 and 1.146). However, the limbic-predominant subtype was associated with hippocampal sclerosis (BF₁₀ = 3.842, moderate level of evidence), whereas the typical/neocortical subtype was associated with Lewy body pathology (BF₁₀ = 10.093, strong level of evidence).

These findings highlight the influence of AD and non-AD-specific pathologies on neurodegeneration patterns and may provide directions for research into hypometabolic pattern analysis as an indirect marker of comorbid pathology.