Brain regional susceptibility to tauopathy in individuals at risk for chronic traumatic encephalopathy
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a tauopathy linked to repetitive head impacts. Factors influencing brain regional susceptibility to tau deposition and spreading remain unclear. METHODS: We used three datasets: [18F]flortaucipir positron emission tomography (PET) in 157 former professional American football players and 53 controls (DIAGNOSE CTE); cortical myelin water fractions (MWF) in 50 healthy individuals (Myelin Water Atlas); and white matter (WM) tract MWF and functional connectivity (FC) in 100 healthy individuals (Human Connectome Project). We tested associations between tau-PET uptake and covariance in football players and typical cortical gray matter (GM) MWF, WM tract MWF, and FC. RESULTS: Cortical regions with lower typical GM MWF showed higher tau-PET uptake (β = -0.399, p = 0.001). WM tracts with lower typical MWF were associated with higher tau-PET covariance (β = -0.238, p < 0.001). Higher typical FC was associated with higher tau-PET covariance (β = 0.447, p < 0.001). DISCUSSION: In former football players at risk for CTE, regional susceptibility to tau deposition may be driven by low myelin and high FC.
Source: Alzheimer s & Dementia
DOI: 10.1002/alz.71503
Authors: Tim L. T. Wiegand, Anna Rubinski, Leonard B. Jung, Nicolai Franzmeier, Hector Arciniega, Parsa Ravanfar, Anna Dewenter, Michael L. Alosco, Yorghos Tripodis, Yi Su, Hillary Protas, Alexander P. Lin, Ofer Pasternak, Kewei Chen, Michael J. Coleman, Sylvain Bouix, Charles H. Adler, Laura J. Balcer, Charles Bernick, Jeffrey L. Cummings, Robert A. Stern, Eric M. Reiman, Martha E. Shenton, Michael Ewers, Inga K. Koerte
Institutions: Harvard University, LMU Klinikum, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Mass General Brigham, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Institut für Schlaganfall- und Demenzforschung, Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology, University of Gothenburg, NYU Langone Health, New York University, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Health, Boston University, Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, Université du Québec à Montréal, École de Technologie Supérieure, Mayo Clinic, Mayo Clinic in Arizona, Cleveland Clinic, University of Washington, Lou Ruvo Brain Institute, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Neurology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,200
Funders: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation, Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Ministerul Educaţiei Naţionale, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities
Awards: Traumatic Brain Injury and Repetitive Head Impacts: Contributions to AD/ADRD and CTE Neuropathology and Resulting Clinical Syndromes, EDAP-AD - Frühe und akkurate diagnostische und prognostische Marker der Alzheimer Krankheit., G1949952796, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy: Detection, Diagnosis, Course, and Risk Factors, Late Pathologies of Exposure to Repetitive Head Impacts from Contact Sports: White Matter and Vascular Contributions to Cognitive Impairment, Dementia, and Neuropsychiatric Symptoms, Repetitive Head Impact Exposure and Later-Life White Matter Signal Abnormalities: An Investigation in Former NFL Players, Subjects with Alzheimer's Disease, and Cognitively Normal Controls, G6349021916, Sex Differences in Brain Structure and Function After Sports-Related Concussion, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy: Clinical Presentation and Biomarkers, Arizona Alzheimer's Disease Core Center, Understanding the Cognitive and Neural Consequences of Repetitive Head Impacts, Renewal of Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) (Phase 2) CNTN - Resubmission, Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias Innovation Incubator (InnovaTor), Arizona Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Risk and Resilience, Clinical presentation, and Biomarker Profiles of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and Related Dementias: The DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project II, Alzheimer's Clinical Trial InnOvatioN (ACTION) Initiative
OpenAlex ID: W7164894632