Disentangling tau and brain atrophy cluster heterogeneity across the Alzheimer's disease continuum

Introduction Neuroimaging heterogeneity in dementia has been examined using single modalities. We evaluated the associations of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) atrophy and flortaucipir positron emission tomography (PET) clusters across the Alzheimer's disease (AD) spectrum. Methods We included 496 Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative participants with brain MRI, flortaucipir PET scan, and amyloid beta biomarker measures obtained. We applied a novel robust collaborative clustering (RCC) approach on the MRI and flortaucipir PET scans. We derived indices for AD-like (SPARE-AD index) and brain age (SPARE-BA) atrophy. Results We identified four tau (I-IV) and three atrophy clusters. Tau clusters were associated with the apolipoprotein E genotype. Atrophy clusters were associated with white matter hyperintensity volumes. Only the hippocampal sparing atrophy cluster showed a specific association with brain aging imaging index. Tau clusters presented stronger clinical associations than atrophy clusters. Tau and atrophy clusters were partially associated. Conclusions Each neuroimaging modality captured different aspects of brain aging, genetics, vascular changes, and neurodegeneration leading to individual multimodal phenotyping.

Automated summary

This study evaluated the associations between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) atrophy and flortaucipir positron emission tomography (PET) clusters across the Alzheimer's disease (AD) spectrum. The results showed that different clusters were associated with the apolipoprotein E genotype and white matter hyperintensity volumes. Moreover, only the hippocampal sparing atrophy cluster showed a specific association with brain aging imaging index. Tau clusters had stronger clinical associations than atrophy clusters. Tau and atrophy clusters were partially associated.