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Cortical microstructural correlates of astrocytosis in autosomal-dominant Alzheimer disease
Vilaplana E, Rodriguez-Vieitez E, Ferreira D, Montal V, Almkvist O, Wall A, Lleó A, Westman E et al.. Neurology, 2020-04-14
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Objective To study the macrostructural and microstructural MRI correlates of brain astrocytosis, measured with 11 C-deuterium-L-deprenyl ( 11 C-DED)-PET, in familial autosomal-dominant Alzheimer disease (ADAD). Methods The total sample (n = 31) comprised ADAD mutation carriers (n = 10 presymptomatic, 39.2 ± 10.6 years old; n = 3 symptomatic, 55.5 ± 2.0 years old) and noncarriers (n = 18, 44.0 ± 13.7 years old) belonging to families with mutations in either the presenilin-1 or amyloid precursor protein genes. All participants underwent structural and diffusion MRI and neuropsychological assessment, and 20 participants (6 presymptomatic and 3 symptomatic mutation carriers and 11 noncarriers) also underwent 11 C-DED-PET. Results Vertex-wise interaction analyses revealed a differential relationship between carriers and noncarriers in the association between 11 C-DED binding and estimated years to onset (EYO) and between cortical mean diffusivity (MD) and EYO. These differences were due to higher 11 C-DED binding in presymptomatic carriers, with lower binding in symptomatic carriers compared to noncarriers, and to lower cortical MD in presymptomatic carriers, with higher MD in symptomatic carriers compared to noncarriers. Using a vertex-wise local correlation approach, 11 C-DED binding was negatively correlated with cortical MD and positively correlated with cortical thickness. Conclusions Our proof-of-concept study is the first to show that microstructural and macrostructural changes can reflect underlying neuroinflammatory mechanisms in early stages of Alzheimer disease (AD). The findings support a role for neuroinflammation in AD pathogenesis, with potential implications for the correct interpretation of neuroimaging biomarkers as surrogate endpoints in clinical trials.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Vilaplana, E., Rodriguez-Vieitez, E., Ferreira, D., Montal, V., Almkvist, O., Wall, A., et al. (2020). Cortical microstructural correlates of astrocytosis in autosomal-dominant Alzheimer disease. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000009405
Vancouver
Vilaplana E, Rodriguez-Vieitez E, Ferreira D, Montal V, Almkvist O, Wall A, et al. Cortical microstructural correlates of astrocytosis in autosomal-dominant Alzheimer disease. Neurology. 2020. doi:10.1212/wnl.0000000000009405. PMID: 32291295.
BibTeX
@article{vilaplana2020-32291295,
author = {Vilaplana, E. and Rodriguez-Vieitez, E. and Ferreira, D. and Montal, V. and Almkvist, O. and Wall, A. and Lleó, A. and Westman, E. and others},
title = {{Cortical microstructural correlates of astrocytosis in autosomal-dominant Alzheimer disease}},
journal = {Neurology},
year = {2020},
doi = {10.1212/wnl.0000000000009405},
pmid = {32291295},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000009405}
}
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Key findings
- Results Vertex-wise interaction analyses revealed a differential relationship between carriers and noncarriers in the association between 11 C-DED binding and estimated years to onset (EYO) and between cortical mean diffusivity (MD) and EYO.
- These differences were due to higher 11 C-DED binding in presymptomatic carriers, with lower binding in symptomatic carriers compared to noncarriers, and to lower cortical MD in presymptomatic carriers, with higher MD in symptomatic carriers compared to noncarriers.
Why it matters
This small study in families with autosomal-dominant Alzheimer disease used PET and MRI to look at astrocytosis and cortical microstructure in mutation carriers. It is early research into brain changes before and after symptoms, not a treatment or cure.
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Study details
- Participants31
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 54/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Neurology: journal h-index 525 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2020 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 31 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 | 4 / 7 | Cited 69 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 8.6 citations a year over 8 year(s) since 2020 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 29 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Agneta K. Nordberg: h-index 103 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | King's College London: institution h-index 1,348 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 8 institution(s) in 3 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 32291295) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 54 / 100 | — |
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