Cortical tau is associated with microstructural imaging biomarkers of neurite density and dendritic complexity in Alzheimer's disease.

Introduction: In Alzheimer's disease (AD), hyperphosphorylated tau is closely associated with focal neurodegeneration, but the mechanism remains uncertain.

Methods: We quantified cortical microstructure using neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging in 14 individuals with young onset AD. Diffusion tensor imaging measured mean diffusivity (MD).

The PSEN1 E280G mutation leads to increased amyloid-β43 production in induced pluripotent stem cell neurons and deposition in brain tissue.

Mutations in the presenilin 1 gene, which cause familial Alzheimer's disease alter the processing of amyloid precursor protein, leading to the generation of various amyloid-β peptide species. These species differ in their potential for aggregation. Mutation-specific amyloid-β peptide profiles may thereby influence pathogenicity and clinical heterogeneity.

Visual short-term memory impairments in presymptomatic familial Alzheimer's disease: A longitudinal observational study.

Visual short-term memory (VSTM) deficits including VSTM binding have been associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) from preclinical to dementia stages, cross-sectionally. Yet, longitudinal investigations are lacking. The objective of this study was to evaluate VSTM function longitudinally and in relation to expected symptom onset in a cohort of familial Alzheimer's disease.

Plasma amyloid-β ratios in autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease: the influence of genotype.

In vitro studies of autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease implicate longer amyloid-β peptides in disease pathogenesis; however, less is known about the behaviour of these mutations in vivo. In this cross-sectional cohort study, we used liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to analyse 66 plasma samples from individuals who were at risk of inheriting a mutation or were symptomatic. We tested for differences in amyloid-β (Aβ)42:38, Aβ42:40 and Aβ38:40 ratios between presenilin 1 (PSEN1) and amyloid precursor protein (APP) carriers.

Visuomotor integration deficits are common to familial and sporadic preclinical Alzheimer's disease.

We investigated whether subtle visuomotor deficits were detectable in familial and sporadic preclinical Alzheimer's disease. A circle-tracing task-with direct and indirect visual feedback, and dual-task subtraction-was completed by 31 individuals at 50% risk of familial Alzheimer's disease (19 presymptomatic mutation carriers; 12 non-carriers) and 390 cognitively normal older adults (members of the British 1946 Birth Cohort, all born during the same week; age range at assessment = 69-71 years), who also underwent β-amyloid-PET/MRI to derive amyloid status (positive/negative), whole-brain volume and white matter hyperintensity volume. We compared preclinical Alzheimer's groups against controls cross-sectionally (mutation carriers versus non-carriers; amyloid-positive versus amyloid-negative) on speed and accuracy of circle-tracing and subtraction.

Quantitative detection and staging of presymptomatic cognitive decline in familial Alzheimer's disease: a retrospective cohort analysis.

Background: Understanding the earliest manifestations of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is key to realising disease-modifying treatments. Advances in neuroimaging and fluid biomarkers have improved our ability to identify AD pathology in vivo. The critical next step is improved detection and staging of early cognitive change.

Measuring cortical mean diffusivity to assess early microstructural cortical change in presymptomatic familial Alzheimer's disease.

Background: There is increasing interest in improving understanding of the timing and nature of early neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and developing methods to measure this in vivo. Autosomal dominant familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD) provides the opportunity for investigation of presymptomatic change. We assessed early microstructural breakdown of cortical grey matter in FAD with diffusion-weighted MRI.

Plasma phospho-tau181 in presymptomatic and symptomatic familial Alzheimer's disease: a longitudinal cohort study.

Blood biomarkers have great potential to advance clinical care and accelerate trials in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Plasma phospho-tau181 (p-tau181) is a promising blood biomarker however, it is unknown if levels increase in presymptomatic AD. Therefore, we investigated the timing of p-tau181 changes using 153 blood samples from 70 individuals in a longitudinal study of familial AD (FAD).

Longitudinal measurement of serum neurofilament light in presymptomatic familial Alzheimer's disease.

Background: To investigate how serum neurofilament light (NfL) concentration changes through the course of disease in familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD) and to assess when NfL concentration first increases.

Methods: NfL was measured using an ultrasensitive immunoassay in 117 serum samples from 61 individuals from families with PSEN1 or APP mutations in a longitudinal study (mean ± SD = 1.9 ± 1.

Cerebrospinal fluid in the differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease: clinical utility of an extended panel of biomarkers in a specialist cognitive clinic.

Background: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers are increasingly being used to support a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Their clinical utility for differentiating AD from non-AD neurodegenerative dementias, such as dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) or frontotemporal dementia (FTD), is less well established. We aimed to determine the diagnostic utility of an extended panel of CSF biomarkers to differentiate AD from a range of other neurodegenerative dementias.

Accelerated long-term forgetting in presymptomatic autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Tests sensitive to presymptomatic changes in Alzheimer's disease could be valuable for clinical trials. Accelerated long-term forgetting-during which memory impairment becomes apparent over longer periods than usually assessed, despite normal performance on standard cognitive testing-has been identified in other temporal lobe disorders. We assessed whether accelerated long-term forgetting is a feature of presymptomatic autosomal dominant (familial) Alzheimer's disease, and whether there is an association between accelerated long-term forgetting and early subjective memory changes.

Serum neurofilament light in familial Alzheimer disease: A marker of early neurodegeneration.

Objectives: To investigate whether serum neurofilament light (NfL) concentration is increased in familial Alzheimer disease (FAD), both pre and post symptom onset, and whether it is associated with markers of disease stage and severity.

Methods: We recruited 48 individuals from families with or mutations to a cross-sectional study: 18 had symptomatic Alzheimer disease (AD) and 30 were asymptomatic but at 50% risk of carrying a mutation. Serum NfL was measured using an ultrasensitive immunoassay on the single molecule array (Simoa) platform.

Clinical phenotype and genetic associations in autosomal dominant familial Alzheimer's disease: a case series.

Background: The causes of phenotypic heterogeneity in familial Alzheimer's disease with autosomal dominant inheritance are not well understood. We aimed to characterise clinical phenotypes and genetic associations with APP and PSEN1 mutations in symptomatic autosomal dominant familial Alzheimer's disease (ADAD).

Methods: We retrospectively analysed genotypic and phenotypic data (age at symptom onset, initial cognitive or behavioural symptoms, and presence of myoclonus, seizures, pyramidal signs, extrapyramidal signs, and cerebellar signs) from all individuals with ADAD due to APP or PSEN1 mutations seen at the Dementia Research Centre in London, UK.

Diagnosing Dementia in the Clinical Setting: Can Amyloid PET Provide Additional Value Over Cerebrospinal Fluid?

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) measures of amyloid and tau are the first-line Alzheimer's disease biomarkers in many clinical centers. We assessed if and when the addition of amyloid PET following CSF measurements provides added diagnostic value. Twenty patients from a cognitive clinic, who had undergone detailed assessment including CSF measures, went on to have amyloid PET.

Presymptomatic cortical thinning in familial Alzheimer disease: A longitudinal MRI study.

Objective: To identify a cortical signature pattern of cortical thinning in familial Alzheimer disease (FAD) and assess its utility in detecting and tracking presymptomatic neurodegeneration.

Methods: We recruited 43 FAD mutation carriers-36 PSEN1, 7 APP (20 symptomatic, 23 presymptomatic)-and 42 healthy controls to a longitudinal clinical and MRI study. T1-weighted MRI scans were acquired at baseline in all participants; 55 individuals (33 mutation carriers; 22 controls) had multiple (mean 2.

Direct Parametric Reconstruction With Joint Motion Estimation/Correction for Dynamic Brain PET Data.

Direct reconstruction of parametric images from raw photon counts has been shown to improve the quantitative analysis of dynamic positron emission tomography (PET) data. However it suffers from subject motion which is inevitable during the typical acquisition time of 1-2 hours. In this work we propose a framework to jointly estimate subject head motion and reconstruct the motion-corrected parametric images directly from raw PET data, so that the effects of distorted tissue-to-voxel mapping due to subject motion can be reduced in reconstructing the parametric images with motion-compensated attenuation correction and spatially aligned temporal PET data.

Do cerebrospinal fluid transfer methods affect measured amyloid β42, total tau, and phosphorylated tau in clinical practice?

Introduction: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) neurodegenerative markers are measured clinically to support a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Several preanalytical factors may alter the CSF concentrations of amyloid β 1-42 (Aβ1-42) in particular with the potential to influence diagnosis. We aimed to determine whether routine handling of samples alters measured biomarker concentration compared with that of prompt delivery to the laboratory.

Processing of Self versus Non-Self in Alzheimer's Disease.

Despite considerable evidence for abnormalities of self-awareness in Alzheimer's disease (AD), the cognitive mechanisms of altered self-processing in AD have not been fully defined. Here we addressed this issue in a detailed analysis of self/non-self-processing in three patients with AD. We designed a novel neuropsychological battery comprising tests of tactile body schema coding, attribution of tactile events to self versus external agents, and memory for self- versus non-self-generated vocal information, administered in conjunction with a daily life measure of self/non-self-processing (the Interpersonal Reactivity Index).

Using florbetapir positron emission tomography to explore cerebrospinal fluid cut points and gray zones in small sample sizes.

Introduction: We aimed to assess the feasibility of determining Alzheimer's disease cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cut points in small samples through comparison with amyloid positron emission tomography (PET).

Methods: Twenty-three individuals (19 patients, four controls) had CSF measures of amyloid beta (Aβ) and total tau/Aβ ratio, and florbetapir PET. We compared CSF measures with visual and quantitative (standardized uptake value ratio [SUVR]) PET measures of amyloid.

Diffusion imaging changes in grey matter in Alzheimer's disease: a potential marker of early neurodegeneration.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is recognized to have a long presymptomatic period, during which there is progressive accumulation of molecular pathology, followed by inexorable neuronal damage. The ability to identify presymptomatic individuals with evidence of neurodegenerative change, to stage their disease, and to track progressive changes will be important for early diagnosis and for prevention trials. Despite recent advances, particularly in magnetic resonance imaging, our ability to identify early neurodegenerative changes reliably is limited.

Factors associated with the onset and persistence of post-lumbar puncture headache.

Importance: This study assesses factors associated with the most common adverse event following lumbar puncture.

Objective: To identify factors associated with the risk, onset, and persistence of post-dural puncture headache (PDPH).

Design, Setting, And Participants: We performed univariate and multivariable analyses of 338 lumbar punctures in the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network observational study using linear mixed models, adjusting for participant-level and family-level random effects.