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Diffusion Tensor MRI Structural Connectivity and PET Amyloid Burden in Preclinical Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer Disease: The DIAN Cohort
Prescott JW, Doraiswamy PM, Gamberger D, Benzinger T, Petrella JR, Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network.. Radiology, 2021-10-12
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Purpose To assess structural connectivity differences in cortical networks between cognitively normal autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease (ADAD) mutation carriers versus noncarriers and to determine the cross-sectional relationship of structural connectivity and cortical amyloid burden with estimated years to symptom onset (EYO) of dementia in carriers. Results There were 30 mutation carriers (mean age ± standard deviation, 34 years ± 10; 17 women) and 38 noncarriers (mean age, 37 years ± 10; 20 women). There was lower structural connectivity in the frontoparietal control network in mutation carriers compared with noncarriers (estimated effect of mutation-positive status, -0.0266; P = .04). There was no significant relationship between cortical global amyloid burden and EYO among mutation carriers ( P > .05). Conclusion White matter structural connectivity was lower in autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease mutation carriers compared with noncarriers and correlated with estimated years to symptom onset.
Key findings
- Purpose To assess structural connectivity differences in cortical networks between cognitively normal autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease (ADAD) mutation carriers versus noncarriers and to determine the cross-sectional relationship of structural connectivity and cortical amyloid burden with estimated years to symptom onset (EYO) of dementia in carriers.
- Results There were 30 mutation carriers (mean age ± standard deviation, 34 years ± 10; 17 women) and 38 noncarriers (mean age, 37 years ± 10; 20 women).
- There was lower structural connectivity in the frontoparietal control network in mutation carriers compared with noncarriers (estimated effect of mutation-positive status, -0.0266; P = .04).
- There was no significant relationship between cortical global amyloid burden and EYO among mutation carriers ( P > .05).
- Conclusion White matter structural connectivity was lower in autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease mutation carriers compared with noncarriers and correlated with estimated years to symptom onset.
Why it matters
In this cross-sectional study of people with autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease mutations, carriers had lower structural connectivity in one brain network than noncarriers, and this correlated with estimated years to symptom onset. No significant relationship was found between global cortical amyloid burden and estimated years to symptom onset.
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Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 45/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 43 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 45 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Radiology) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Radiology: journal h-index 431 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| 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 | 3 / 5 | 2022 — within 6 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 3 / 7 | Cited 21 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 3.5 citations a year over 6 year(s) since 2022 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.9× 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 | 1 / 4 | Cited 11 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Washington University in St. Louis: institution h-index 1,962 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 34636637) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 43 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 43 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 45 out of 100. |
| Total | 45 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
Full text: free to read — PubMed Central lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 10 Oct 2026).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Prescott, J. W., Doraiswamy, P. M., Gamberger, D., Benzinger, T., Petrella, JR., & Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network. (2022). Diffusion Tensor MRI Structural Connectivity and PET Amyloid Burden in Preclinical Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer Disease: The DIAN Cohort. Radiology. https://doi.org/10.1148/radiol.2021210383
Vancouver
Prescott JW, Doraiswamy PM, Gamberger D, Benzinger T, Petrella JR, Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network. Diffusion Tensor MRI Structural Connectivity and PET Amyloid Burden in Preclinical Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer Disease: The DIAN Cohort. Radiology. 2022. doi:10.1148/radiol.2021210383. PMID: 34636637.
BibTeX
@article{prescott2022-34636637,
author = {Prescott, J. W. and Doraiswamy, P. M. and Gamberger, D. and Benzinger, T. and Petrella, JR. and {Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network}},
title = {{Diffusion Tensor MRI Structural Connectivity and PET Amyloid Burden in Preclinical Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer Disease: The DIAN Cohort}},
journal = {Radiology},
year = {2022},
doi = {10.1148/radiol.2021210383},
pmid = {34636637},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1148/radiol.2021210383}
}
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