Longitudinal Accrual of Neocortical Amyloid Burden Is Associated with Microstructural Changes of the Fornix in Cognitively-Normal Adults

The fornix and parahippocampal cingulum are two major limbic tracts in the core memory network of the hippocampus. Although these fiber tracts are known to degrade with Alzheimer ’s disease (AD), little is known about their vulnerability in the asymptomatic phase of AD. In this longitudinal study of cognitively-normal adults, we assessed amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques using positron emission tomography (PET) and white matter microstructure using Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI). We found that an increase of neocortical Aβ burden over time was associated with an increase of radial diffusivity in the fornix but not in the parahippocampal cingulum.
Source: Neurobiology of Aging - Category: Neuroscience Authors: Source Type: research