Elevated plasma p-tau231 is associated with reduced generalization and medial temporal lobe dynamic network flexibility among healthy older African Americans

Abstract Background Phosphorylated tau (p-tau) and amyloid beta (Aβ) in human plasma may provide an affordable and minimally invasive method to evaluate Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathophysiology. The medial temporal lobe (MTL) is susceptible to changes in structural integrity that are indicative of t...

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Main Authors: Miray Budak, Bernadette A. Fausto, Zuzanna Osiecka, Mustafa Sheikh, Robert Perna, Nicholas Ashton, Kaj Blennow, Henrik Zetterberg, Patricia Fitzgerald-Bocarsly, Mark A. Gluck
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2024-11-01
Series:Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13195-024-01619-0
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author Miray Budak
Bernadette A. Fausto
Zuzanna Osiecka
Mustafa Sheikh
Robert Perna
Nicholas Ashton
Kaj Blennow
Henrik Zetterberg
Patricia Fitzgerald-Bocarsly
Mark A. Gluck
author_facet Miray Budak
Bernadette A. Fausto
Zuzanna Osiecka
Mustafa Sheikh
Robert Perna
Nicholas Ashton
Kaj Blennow
Henrik Zetterberg
Patricia Fitzgerald-Bocarsly
Mark A. Gluck
author_sort Miray Budak
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Phosphorylated tau (p-tau) and amyloid beta (Aβ) in human plasma may provide an affordable and minimally invasive method to evaluate Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathophysiology. The medial temporal lobe (MTL) is susceptible to changes in structural integrity that are indicative of the disease progression. Among healthy adults, higher dynamic network flexibility within the MTL was shown to mediate better generalization of prior learning, a measure which has been demonstrated to predict cognitive decline and neural changes in preclinical AD longitudinally. Recent developments in cognitive, neural, and blood-based biomarkers of AD risk that may correspond with MTL changes. However, there is no comprehensive study on how these generalization biomarkers, long-term memory, MTL dynamic network flexibility, and plasma biomarkers are interrelated. This study investigated (1) the relationship between long-term memory, generalization performance, and MTL dynamic network flexibility and (2) how plasma p-tau231, p-tau181, and Aβ42/Aβ40 influence generalization, long-term memory, and MTL dynamics in cognitively unimpaired older African Americans. Methods 148 participants (Mean age : 70.88,SD age : 6.05) were drawn from the ongoing longitudinal study, Pathways to Healthy Aging in African Americans conducted at Rutgers University–Newark. Cognition was evaluated with the Rutgers Acquired Equivalence Task (generalization task) and Rey Auditory Learning Test (RAVLT) delayed recall. MTL dynamic network connectivity was measured from functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging data. Plasma p-tau231, p-tau181, and Aβ42/Aβ40 were measured from blood samples. Results There was a significant positive correlation between generalization performance and MTL Dynamic Network Flexibility (t = 3.372, β = 0.280, p < 0.001). There were significant negative correlations between generalization performance and plasma p-tau231 (t = -3.324, β = -0.265, p = 0.001) and p-tau181 (t = -2.408, β = -0.192, p = 0.017). A significant negative correlation was found between plasma p-tau231 and MTL Dynamic Network Flexibility (t = -2.825, β = -0.232, p = 0.005). Conclusions Increased levels of p-tau231 are associated with impaired generalization abilities and reduced dynamic network flexibility within the MTL. Plasma p-tau231 may serve as a potential biomarker for assessing cognitive decline and neural changes in cognitively unimpaired older African Americans.
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spelling doaj-art-69d75a1a6fe74422a93d9adb3aba651c2024-11-24T12:14:10ZengBMCAlzheimer’s Research & Therapy1758-91932024-11-0116111410.1186/s13195-024-01619-0Elevated plasma p-tau231 is associated with reduced generalization and medial temporal lobe dynamic network flexibility among healthy older African AmericansMiray Budak0Bernadette A. Fausto1Zuzanna Osiecka2Mustafa Sheikh3Robert Perna4Nicholas Ashton5Kaj Blennow6Henrik Zetterberg7Patricia Fitzgerald-Bocarsly8Mark A. Gluck9Center for Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University–NewarkCenter for Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University–NewarkCenter for Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University–NewarkCenter for Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University–NewarkCenter for Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University–NewarkDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of GothenburgDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of GothenburgDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of GothenburgDepartment of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health SciencesCenter for Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University–NewarkAbstract Background Phosphorylated tau (p-tau) and amyloid beta (Aβ) in human plasma may provide an affordable and minimally invasive method to evaluate Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathophysiology. The medial temporal lobe (MTL) is susceptible to changes in structural integrity that are indicative of the disease progression. Among healthy adults, higher dynamic network flexibility within the MTL was shown to mediate better generalization of prior learning, a measure which has been demonstrated to predict cognitive decline and neural changes in preclinical AD longitudinally. Recent developments in cognitive, neural, and blood-based biomarkers of AD risk that may correspond with MTL changes. However, there is no comprehensive study on how these generalization biomarkers, long-term memory, MTL dynamic network flexibility, and plasma biomarkers are interrelated. This study investigated (1) the relationship between long-term memory, generalization performance, and MTL dynamic network flexibility and (2) how plasma p-tau231, p-tau181, and Aβ42/Aβ40 influence generalization, long-term memory, and MTL dynamics in cognitively unimpaired older African Americans. Methods 148 participants (Mean age : 70.88,SD age : 6.05) were drawn from the ongoing longitudinal study, Pathways to Healthy Aging in African Americans conducted at Rutgers University–Newark. Cognition was evaluated with the Rutgers Acquired Equivalence Task (generalization task) and Rey Auditory Learning Test (RAVLT) delayed recall. MTL dynamic network connectivity was measured from functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging data. Plasma p-tau231, p-tau181, and Aβ42/Aβ40 were measured from blood samples. Results There was a significant positive correlation between generalization performance and MTL Dynamic Network Flexibility (t = 3.372, β = 0.280, p < 0.001). There were significant negative correlations between generalization performance and plasma p-tau231 (t = -3.324, β = -0.265, p = 0.001) and p-tau181 (t = -2.408, β = -0.192, p = 0.017). A significant negative correlation was found between plasma p-tau231 and MTL Dynamic Network Flexibility (t = -2.825, β = -0.232, p = 0.005). Conclusions Increased levels of p-tau231 are associated with impaired generalization abilities and reduced dynamic network flexibility within the MTL. Plasma p-tau231 may serve as a potential biomarker for assessing cognitive decline and neural changes in cognitively unimpaired older African Americans.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13195-024-01619-0Plasma p-tauAmyloid-betaMedial temporal lobeDynamic flexibilityGeneralizationAfrican Americans
spellingShingle Miray Budak
Bernadette A. Fausto
Zuzanna Osiecka
Mustafa Sheikh
Robert Perna
Nicholas Ashton
Kaj Blennow
Henrik Zetterberg
Patricia Fitzgerald-Bocarsly
Mark A. Gluck
Elevated plasma p-tau231 is associated with reduced generalization and medial temporal lobe dynamic network flexibility among healthy older African Americans
Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy
Plasma p-tau
Amyloid-beta
Medial temporal lobe
Dynamic flexibility
Generalization
African Americans
title Elevated plasma p-tau231 is associated with reduced generalization and medial temporal lobe dynamic network flexibility among healthy older African Americans
title_full Elevated plasma p-tau231 is associated with reduced generalization and medial temporal lobe dynamic network flexibility among healthy older African Americans
title_fullStr Elevated plasma p-tau231 is associated with reduced generalization and medial temporal lobe dynamic network flexibility among healthy older African Americans
title_full_unstemmed Elevated plasma p-tau231 is associated with reduced generalization and medial temporal lobe dynamic network flexibility among healthy older African Americans
title_short Elevated plasma p-tau231 is associated with reduced generalization and medial temporal lobe dynamic network flexibility among healthy older African Americans
title_sort elevated plasma p tau231 is associated with reduced generalization and medial temporal lobe dynamic network flexibility among healthy older african americans
topic Plasma p-tau
Amyloid-beta
Medial temporal lobe
Dynamic flexibility
Generalization
African Americans
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13195-024-01619-0
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