Catecholaminergic nucleus integrity and Alzheimer's pathology, symptoms, and progression.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) accumulates pathology early in Alzheimer's disease (AD), with LC dysfunction contributing to symptoms and disease progression. We investigated LC and substantia nigra (SN) integrity in healthy controls and AD participants.

Methods

Ninety-three AD participants and 29 controls underwent neuromelanin magnetic resonance imaging. LC and SN contrast, reflecting nucleus integrity, related to cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms, as well as cognitive decline and atrophy rates.

Results

LC - but not SN - integrity was reduced in AD versus controls (b = -0.39, p = 0.001) and within AD was associated with global cognition (b = 8.53, p = 0.04) and neuropsychiatric symptoms, accounting for SN. An AD subgroup with reduced SN integ

SUBMITTER: David MCB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12479218 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature