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Tau‐related reduction of glucose metabolism in mild cognitive impairment occurs independently of APOE ε4 genotype and is influenced by Aβ
Félix Carbonell, Carolann McNicoll, Alex P. Zijdenbos, Barry J. Bedell, for the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Alzheimer s & Dementia, 2025-02-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Plain-language summary
We found cortical regions where a reduced glucose metabolism was maximally correlated with distributed patterns of tau, accounting for the effect of Aβ and APOE ε4 genotype. By highlighting the more significant role of tau, rather than Aβ, in the reduction of glucose metabolism, our results provide a better understanding of their combined effect in the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease. HIGHLIGHTS: This study uses a data-driven singular value decomposition approach to the cross-correlation matrix between tau and fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) images, as well as between FDG and amyloid beta (Aβ) positron emission tomography (PET) images. From a population of mild cognitive impairment subjects, we found that spatially distributed scores of tau PET are associated with an even stronger reduction of glucose metabolism, independent of the apolipoprotein E ε4 genotype and confounded by Aβ. By highlighting the more significant role of tau, rather than Aβ, on the reduction of glucose metabolism, our results provide a better understanding of their combined effects in the development of Alzheimer's disease.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Carbonell, F., McNicoll, C., Zijdenbos, A. P., Bedell, B. J., & Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. (2025). Tau‐related reduction of glucose metabolism in mild cognitive impairment occurs independently of APOE ε4 genotype and is influenced by Aβ. Alzheimer s & Dementia. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.14625
Vancouver
Carbonell F, McNicoll C, Zijdenbos AP, Bedell BJ, Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Tau‐related reduction of glucose metabolism in mild cognitive impairment occurs independently of APOE ε4 genotype and is influenced by Aβ. Alzheimer s & Dementia. 2025. doi:10.1002/alz.14625. PMID: 39989007.
BibTeX
@article{carbonell2025-39989007,
author = {Carbonell, Félix and McNicoll, Carolann and Zijdenbos, Alex P. and Bedell, Barry J. and {Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative}},
title = {{Tau‐related reduction of glucose metabolism in mild cognitive impairment occurs independently of APOE ε4 genotype and is influenced by Aβ}},
journal = {Alzheimer s \& Dementia},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1002/alz.14625},
pmid = {39989007},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.14625}
}
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Key findings
- We found cortical regions where a reduced glucose metabolism was maximally correlated with distributed patterns of tau, accounting for the effect of Aβ and APOE ε4 genotype.
- By highlighting the more significant role of tau, rather than Aβ, in the reduction of glucose metabolism, our results provide a better understanding of their combined effect in the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease.
- HIGHLIGHTS: This study uses a data-driven singular value decomposition approach to the cross-correlation matrix between tau and fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) images, as well as between FDG and amyloid beta (Aβ) positron emission tomography (PET) images.
- From a population of mild cognitive impairment subjects, we found that spatially distributed scores of tau PET are associated with an even stronger reduction of glucose metabolism, independent of the apolipoprotein E ε4 genotype and confounded by Aβ.
- By highlighting the more significant role of tau, rather than Aβ, on the reduction of glucose metabolism, our results provide a better understanding of their combined effects in the development of Alzheimer's disease.
Why it matters
This imaging study found that reduced glucose metabolism in the brain was more strongly correlated with tau protein patterns than with amyloid-beta, independent of APOE ε4 genotype. The results suggest tau plays a more significant role than amyloid-beta in this metabolic change, but the study is observational and does not test a treatment.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 38/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record and institution's track record, so those were left out: it earned 35 of the 93 points we could judge it on, which is 38 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Alzheimer s & Dementia) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Alzheimer s & Dementia: journal h-index 228 (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 | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 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) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 2 / 7 | Cited 5 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 5 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 | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multicenter collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 0 institution(s) in 0 countries — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 39989007) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Points | 35 / 93 | Scored on 18 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 35 of the 93 points we could judge it on is 38 out of 100. |
| Total | 38 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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