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Associations among locus coeruleus catecholamines, tau pathology, and memory in aging
Ciampa CJ, Parent JH, Harrison TM, Fain RM, Betts MJ, Maass A, Winer JR, Baker SL et al.. Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, 2022-01-15
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
The locus coeruleus (LC) is the brain's major source of the neuromodulator norepinephrine, and is also profoundly vulnerable to the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related tau pathology. Norepinephrine plays a role in neuroprotective functions that may reduce AD progression, and also underlies optimal memory performance. Successful maintenance of LC neurochemical function represents a candidate mechanism of protection against the propagation of AD-related pathology and may facilitate the preservation of memory performance despite pathology. Using [ 18 F]Fluoro-m-tyrosine ([ 18 F]FMT) PET imaging to measure catecholamine synthesis capacity in LC regions of interest, we examined relationships among LC neurochemical function, AD-related pathology, and memory performance in cognitively normal older adults (n = 49). Participants underwent [ 11 C]Pittsburgh compound B and [ 18 F]Flortaucipir PET to quantify β-amyloid (n = 49) and tau burden (n = 42) respectively. In individuals with substantial β-amyloid, higher LC [ 18 F]FMT net tracer influx (Ki vis ) was associated with lower temporal tau. Longitudinal tau-PET analyses in a subset of our sample (n = 30) support these findings to reveal reduced temporal tau accumulation in the context of higher LC [ 18 F]FMT Ki vis . Higher LC catecholamine synthesis capacity was positively correlated with self-reported cognitive engagement and physical activity across the lifespan, established predictors of successful aging measured with the Lifetime Experiences Questionnaire. LC catecholamine synthesis capacity moderated tau's negative effect on memory, such that higher LC catecholamine synthesis capacity was associated with better-than-expected memory performance given an individual's tau burden. These PET findings provide insight into the neurochemical mechanisms of AD vulnerability and cognitive resilience in the living human brain.
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APA 7th
Ciampa, C. J., Parent, J. H., Harrison, T. M., Fain, R. M., Betts, M. J., Maass, A., et al. (2022). Associations among locus coeruleus catecholamines, tau pathology, and memory in aging. Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-022-01269-6
Vancouver
Ciampa CJ, Parent JH, Harrison TM, Fain RM, Betts MJ, Maass A, et al. Associations among locus coeruleus catecholamines, tau pathology, and memory in aging. Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology. 2022. doi:10.1038/s41386-022-01269-6. PMID: 35034099.
BibTeX
@article{ciampa2022-35034099,
author = {Ciampa, C. J. and Parent, J. H. and Harrison, T. M. and Fain, R. M. and Betts, M. J. and Maass, A. and Winer, JR. and Baker, S. L. and others},
title = {{Associations among locus coeruleus catecholamines, tau pathology, and memory in aging}},
journal = {Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology},
year = {2022},
doi = {10.1038/s41386-022-01269-6},
pmid = {35034099},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-022-01269-6}
}
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Key findings
- In individuals with substantial β-amyloid, higher LC [ 18 F]FMT net tracer influx (Ki vis ) was associated with lower temporal tau.
- Longitudinal tau-PET analyses in a subset of our sample (n = 30) support these findings to reveal reduced temporal tau accumulation in the context of higher LC [ 18 F]FMT Ki vis .
- LC catecholamine synthesis capacity moderated tau's negative effect on memory, such that higher LC catecholamine synthesis capacity was associated with better-than-expected memory performance given an individual's tau burden.
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Study details
- Study designlongitudinal study
- Participants49
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 62/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a longitudinal study following the same people over time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record, times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record and multi-centre collaboration, so those were left out: it earned 36 of the 58 points we could judge it on, which is 62 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A longitudinal study following the same people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 3 / 5 | 2022 — within 6 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 49 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 35034099) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 36 / 58 | Scored on 11 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 36 of the 58 points we could judge it on is 62 out of 100. |
| Total | 62 / 100 | — |
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