Citation :
Qiu, T., Liu, Z. Q., Rheault, F., Legarreta, J. H., Valcourt Caron, A., St-Onge, F., Strikwerda-Brown, C., Metz, A., Dadar, M., Soucy, J. P., Pichet Binette, A., Spreng, R. N., Descoteaux, M., Villeneuve, S., & PREVENT‐AD Research Group (2024). Structural white matter properties and cognitive resilience to tau pathology. Alzheimer’s & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, 10.1002/alz.13776. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.13776
Full text : Here
Qiu T, Liu ZQ, Rheault F, Legarreta JH, Valcourt Caron A, St-Onge F, Strikwerda-Brown C, Metz A, Dadar M, Soucy JP, Pichet Binette A, Spreng RN, Descoteaux M, Villeneuve S; PREVENT‐AD Research Group.
published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia, April 2024.
ABSTRACT :
Introduction: We assessed whether macro- and/or micro-structural white matter properties are associated with cognitive resilience to Alzheimer’s disease pathology years prior to clinical onset.
Methods: We examined whether global efficiency, an indicator of communication efficiency in brain networks, and diffusion measurements within the limbic network and default mode network moderate the association between amyloid-β/tau pathology and cognitive decline. We also investigated whether demographic and health/risk factors are associated with white matter properties.
Results: Higher global efficiency of the limbic network, as well as free-water corrected diffusion measures within the tracts of both networks, attenuated the impact of tau pathology on memory decline. Education, age, sex, white matter hyperintensities, and vascular risk factors were associated with white matter properties of both networks.
Discussion: White matter can influence cognitive resilience against tau pathology, and promoting education and vascular health may enhance optimal white matter properties.
Highlights: Aβ and tau were associated with longitudinal memory change over ∼7.5 years. White matter properties attenuated the impact of tau pathology on memory change. Health/risk factors were associated with white matter properties.