Tau PET Imaging and Cognitive Impairment in Lewy Body Disease
Author Information
Author(s): Winer Joseph R, Vossler Hillary, Young Christina B, Smith Viktorija, Romero America, Shahid-Besanti Marian, Abdelnour Carla, Wilson Edward N, Anders David, Pacheco Morales Aimara, Andreasson Katrin I, Yutsis Maya V, Henderson Victor W, Davidzon Guido A, Mormino Elizabeth C, Poston Kathleen L
Primary Institution: Stanford University School of Medicine
Hypothesis
In Lewy body disease, greater 18F-PI-2620 PET signal in cortex would be related to worse cognitive impairment, and less 18F-PI-2620 PET signal in substantia nigra would be related to greater motor impairment.
Conclusion
The study found that while tau levels are lower in Lewy body disease compared to Alzheimer’s disease, small increases in cortical tau are linked to cognitive function, and reduced tau binding in the substantia nigra is associated with motor impairment.
Supporting Evidence
- 18F-PI-2620 uptake was low overall in Lewy body disease and correlated with β-amyloid PET in temporal lobe regions.
- Inferior temporal 18F-PI-2620 uptake was significantly elevated in β-amyloid positive participants with Lewy body disease.
- Uptake within precuneus and lingual gyrus was associated with worse executive function and attention/working memory performance.
- Substantia nigra 18F-PI-2620 signal was significantly reduced in participants with Parkinson’s disease.
Takeaway
This study looked at brain scans to see how tau protein levels relate to thinking and movement problems in people with Lewy body disease.
Methodology
Participants underwent 18F-PI-2620 PET scans and cognitive testing, with comparisons made across different groups including those with Lewy body disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to varying assessment methods for amyloid status and the use of simultaneous PET/MRI which may affect PET reconstruction.
Limitations
The study was cross-sectional, had a small sample size in each diagnostic category, and did not correct for multiple comparisons.
Participant Demographics
Participants included 29 with Parkinson's disease, 14 with dementia with Lewy bodies, 28 with Alzheimer's disease, and 70 cognitively unimpaired older adults.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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