Neural Representations of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Alzheimer's Disease Continuum Using Pathology-Based Functional...

Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) in the Alzheimer's disease continuum affect the quality of life for patients and caregivers. Therefore, elucidating the mechanisms of NPS is needed to better understand NPS and enhance patient care. Several studies have investigated them using neuroimaging; however, none have considered the regional coexistence of amyloid-beta and tau pathologies and its association with functional networks. In this study, we aim to identify the neural correlates of NPS considering the molecular and functional levels of neural representation.

This study included data from amyloid-positive participants in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative database with positron emission tomography (PET), functional magnetic resonance imaging, NPS scores, and demographic data within one year and categorized them into groups with or without NPS factors. NPS were assessed using the neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI) and grouped into affective, apathy, hyperactivity, or psychosis factors. Amyloid-beta and tau accumulation measured by PET were compared between groups per region. Differences in functional connectivity of NPS- or NPS-type-specific pathologically altered regions were investigated using seed-to-voxel analysis. Further, a generalized linear model was constructed using the NPI score for each factor as the dependent variable, with functional connectivity strength, tau, and amyloid-beta accumulation as predictors.

Significant differences were observed in amyloid-beta and tau accumulation and functional connectivity between groups. The right middle temporal gyrus (rMTG) was associated with the affective factor, and the right parahippocampal and right fusiform gyri were associated with the apathy factor. Moreover, the generalized linear model was able to predict affective factor severity mainly based on the functional connectivity strength between the rMTG and the left supramarginal and angular gyri.

We identified the key regions specific to affective and apathy factors based on the areas with coexistence of amyloid-beta and tau pathologies and the accompanying altered functional connectivity.