Characterizing amyloid and tau positron emission tomography‐based stages across the clinical continuum
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: INTRODUCTION: We standardized positron emission tomography (PET) data across multiple cohorts and tracers to characterize the frequency of amyloid and tau PET severity along the clinical continuum. METHODS: Clinical stage was defined using cohort-specific criteria and included cognitively unimpaired (CU), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia. Amyloid severity was staged using Centiloids (CL). Tau severity was staged using a hierarchical Braak-based schema. The cumulative probabilities of PET-based stages were estimated using ordinal logistic regressions. RESULTS: Among 10,396 individuals (mean [standard deviation] age: 71.9 [7.1] years), amyloid levels ≥ 25 CL increased with age among CU and MCI, while amyloid levels ≥ 100 CL were most common in dementia. In 3295 with tau PET, tau severity increased with amyloid and clinical stage and showed complex associations with age. Within each clinical stage, the full spectrum of amyloid and tau PET severity was observed. DISCUSSION: PET-based staging revealed heterogeneous amyloid and tau burden along the clinical continuum. HIGHLIGHTS: PET-based staging is feasible across multiple cohorts and PET tracers. There is heterogeneity in amyloid and tau severity across the clinical spectrum. The frequency of amyloid and tau PET severity increased with clinical severity. The likelihood of tau PET severity differed by age, amyloid, and clinical severity.
Source: Alzheimer s & Dementia
DOI: 10.1002/alz.71017
Authors: Karly A. Cody, Andrzej Sokołowski, Emily Johns, Lucah Medina Guerra, Joseph R. Winer, Christina B. Young, Kyan Younes, Logan Dumitrescu, Derek B. Archer, Alaina Durant, Aditi Sathe, Mary Ellen I. Koran, Jesse Mez, Andrew J. Saykin, Arthur Toga, Michael Cuccaro, Duygu Tosun, Philip S. Insel, Sterling C. Johnson, Theresa M. Harrison, Timothy J. Hohman, Elizabeth C. Mormino
Institutions: Stanford University, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Mayo Clinic, Mayo Clinic in Arizona, Boston University, Indiana University Indianapolis, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, University of Southern California, University of Miami, University of California, San Francisco, University of Wisconsin–Madison, University of California, Berkeley
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,200
Funders: Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, Alzheimer's Association, University of Southern California, Vanderbilt University, Oregon Health and Science University, New York University, Indiana University, University of Pennsylvania, Emory University, Northwestern University, Boston University, University of New Mexico, Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, University of Washington, Johns Hopkins University, University of Pittsburgh, Rush University, National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center, National Institutes of Health, University of California, San Francisco, National Institute on Aging, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Center for Research Resources
Awards: G1106781614, G1236018230, Modeling Axonal Density and Inflammation-Associated Cellularity in Alzheimer’s Disease Using Hybrid Diffusion Imaging, Indiana Alzheimer Disease Center, G1407550816, G1475859066, G1545343779, G1575942645, G1663108508, G1720288153, G1778830070, G2223012618, G2323975950, G233289723, G239224974, G2398422634, G2449252329, G2520949889, G2624010331, G2712484686, Multi-Domain Sensory Measures as Biomarkers of Alzheimer's Disease in Preclinical and Prodromal Stages, G2835601961, G2910916791, Morphometry Biomedical Informatics Research Network, G296710690, G29951154, G3236970818, G3266013560, G3451261225, G3486421421, Neuroimaging Genetics of the Glymphatic System in Alzheimer`s Disease, G3842034552, G39602927, G3981846039, G4099125506, G4788855329, G4872711460, G4874008555, G4971985634, G5144205720, G5207404921, G5319308795, G5411477318, G559573673, G5741197213, G5861427811, G5891993387, Upgrade for MRI Instrument for Functional Brain Imaging, PET Imaging of Synaptic Density in Alzheimers Disease, G6151535473, G6164886639, G6166635339, G6254965475, G6425121803, G6445626367, G6869916385, New Mexico Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Arizona Alzheimer's Disease Core Center, G7099726539, G7248974055, G7282017350, G7384721323, G7553336952, G7576515556, Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Center, G779622888, Alzheimer's Disease Core Center, NINDS CENTER CORE FOR BRAIN IMAGING, University of Florida - Mt. Sinai Medical Center AD Research Center, G8373430276, Modulators of Medial Temporal Lobe Subregion Structure and Function in Normal and Pathological Aging, G8541840054, G8859167876, G8897063270, G8912651158, G9000000447, G9000003466, G9000004804, G9000005456, G9000005743, G9000010040, G9000011165, G9000015941, G9000017672, G9000019529, G9000021109, G9000022006, G9000028445, G9000032768, G9000039018, G9000041566, G9000045301, G9000046703, G9000064957, G9000070217, G9000071044, G9000079798, G9000082286, G9000091371, G9000092144, G9000104082, G9000115080, G9000118070, G9000118172, G9000122267, G9000122335, G9000132673, G9000147311, G9000151373, G9000152548, G9000163348, G9000167101, G9000167811, G9000197540, G9000208846, G9000212151, G9000218858, G9000227227, G9000239624, G9000252716, G9000266300, G9000274623, G9000294671, G9000300815, G9000305967, G9000307348, G9000308429, G9000337856, G9000352745, G9000354213, Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Stanford Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Goizueta Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Ultrascale Machine Learning to Empower Discovery in Alzheimers Disease Biobanks, G971790684
OpenAlex ID: W7119503010