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Primary age-related tauopathy (PART): a common pathology associated with human aging
Crary JF, Trojanowski JQ, Schneider JA, Abisambra JF, Abner EL, Alafuzoff I, Arnold SE, Attems J et al.. Acta neuropathologica, 2014-10-28
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
We recommend a new term, "primary age-related tauopathy" (PART), to describe a pathology that is commonly observed in the brains of aged individuals. Many autopsy studies have reported brains with neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) that are indistinguishable from those of Alzheimer's disease (AD), in the absence of amyloid (Aβ) plaques. For these "NFT+/Aβ-" brains, for which formal criteria for AD neuropathologic changes are not met, the NFTs are mostly restricted to structures in the medial temporal lobe, basal forebrain, brainstem, and olfactory areas (bulb and cortex). Symptoms in persons with PART usually range from normal to amnestic cognitive changes, with only a minority exhibiting profound impairment. Because cognitive impairment is often mild, existing clinicopathologic designations, such as "tangle-only dementia" and "tangle-predominant senile dementia", are imprecise and not appropriate for most subjects. PART is almost universally detectable at autopsy among elderly individuals, yet this pathological process cannot be specifically identified pre-mortem at the present time. Improved biomarkers and tau imaging may enable diagnosis of PART in clinical settings in the future. Indeed, recent studies have identified a common biomarker profile consisting of temporal lobe atrophy and tauopathy without evidence of Aβ accumulation. For both researchers and clinicians, a revised nomenclature will raise awareness of this extremely common pathologic change while providing a conceptual foundation for future studies. Prior reports that have elucidated features of the pathologic entity we refer to as PART are discussed, and working neuropathological diagnostic criteria are proposed.
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APA 7th
Crary, J. F., Trojanowski, J. Q., Schneider, J. A., Abisambra, J. F., Abner, E. L., Alafuzoff, I., et al. (2014). Primary age-related tauopathy (PART): a common pathology associated with human aging. Acta neuropathologica. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-014-1349-0
Vancouver
Crary JF, Trojanowski JQ, Schneider JA, Abisambra JF, Abner EL, Alafuzoff I, et al. Primary age-related tauopathy (PART): a common pathology associated with human aging. Acta neuropathologica. 2014. doi:10.1007/s00401-014-1349-0. PMID: 25348064.
BibTeX
@article{crary2014-25348064,
author = {Crary, J. F. and Trojanowski, J. Q. and Schneider, J. A. and Abisambra, J. F. and Abner, E. L. and Alafuzoff, I. and Arnold, S. E. and Attems, J. and others},
title = {{Primary age-related tauopathy (PART): a common pathology associated with human aging}},
journal = {Acta neuropathologica},
year = {2014},
doi = {10.1007/s00401-014-1349-0},
pmid = {25348064},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-014-1349-0}
}
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Key findings
- PART is almost universally detectable at autopsy among elderly individuals, yet this pathological process cannot be specifically identified pre-mortem at the present time.
- Improved biomarkers and tau imaging may enable diagnosis of PART in clinical settings in the future.
- Indeed, recent studies have identified a common biomarker profile consisting of temporal lobe atrophy and tauopathy without evidence of Aβ accumulation.
- For both researchers and clinicians, a revised nomenclature will raise awareness of this extremely common pathologic change while providing a conceptual foundation for future studies.
- Prior reports that have elucidated features of the pathologic entity we refer to as PART are discussed, and working neuropathological diagnostic criteria are proposed.
Why it matters
This 2014 paper proposed the name "primary age-related tauopathy" (PART), with "working neuropathological diagnostic criteria", for brains that have Alzheimer's-type tau tangles but no amyloid plaques, and so do not meet the formal autopsy criteria for Alzheimer's disease. The authors describe it as "almost universally detectable at autopsy among elderly individuals", with symptoms that "usually range from normal to amnestic cognitive changes, with only a minority exhibiting profound impairment". At the time it "cannot be specifically identified pre-mortem", and the paper tests no treatment.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 62/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Acta neuropathologica) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Acta Neuropathologica: journal h-index 287 (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 | 1 / 5 | 2014 — within 20 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 | 7 / 7 | Cited 1,474 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 5 / 5 | 105.3 citations a year over 14 year(s) since 2014 |
| Impact for its field and year | 6 / 6 | Cited 58.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 5 / 6 | Cited by 112 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 4 / 4 | Cited 364 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Peter T. Nelson: h-index 92 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | University of Washington: institution h-index 3,540 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 32 institution(s) in 8 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 25348064) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 62 / 100 | — |
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