Lower in vivo locus coeruleus integrity is associated with lower cortical thickness in older individuals with elevated Alzheimer's pathology: a cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Autopsy work indicates that the widely-projecting noradrenergic pontine locus coeruleus (LC) is among the earliest regions to accumulate hyperphosphorylated tau, a neuropathological Alzheimer's disease (AD) hallmark. This early tau deposition is accompanied by a reduced density of LC projections and a reduction of norepinephrine's neuroprotective effects, potentially compromising the neuronal integrity of LC's cortical targets. Previous studies suggest that lower magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-derived LC integrity may signal cortical tissue degeneration in cognitively healthy, older individuals. However, whether these observations are driven by underlying AD pathology remains unknown. To that end, we examined potential effect modifications by cortical beta-amyloid and

SUBMITTER: Engels-Dominguez N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11181564 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature