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The presubiculum links incipient amyloid and tau pathology to memory function in older persons
Jacobs HIL, Augustinack JC, Schultz AP, Hanseeuw BJ, Locascio J, Amariglio RE, Papp KV, Rentz DM et al.. Neurology, 2020-04-09
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Plain-language summary
Objective To identify the hippocampal subregions linking initial amyloid and tau pathology to memory performance in clinically normal older individuals, reflecting preclinical Alzheimer disease (AD). Methods A total of 127 individuals from the Harvard Aging Brain Study (mean age 76.22 ± 6.42 years, 68 women [53.5%]) with a Clinical Dementia Rating score of 0, a flortaucipir tau-PET scan, a Pittsburgh compound B amyloid-PET scan, a structural MRI scan, and cognitive testing were included. From these images, we calculated neocortical, hippocampal, and entorhinal amyloid pathology; entorhinal and hippocampal tau pathology; and the volumes of 6 hippocampal subregions and total hippocampal volume. Memory was assessed with the selective reminding test. Mediation and moderation analyses modeled associations between regional markers and memory. Analyses included covariates for age, sex, and education. Results Neocortical amyloid, entorhinal tau, and presubiculum volume univariately associated with memory performance. The relationship between neocortical amyloid and memory was mediated by entorhinal tau and presubiculum volume, which was modified by hippocampal amyloid burden. With other biomarkers held constant, presubiculum volume was the only marker predicting memory performance in the total sample and in individuals with elevated hippocampal amyloid burden. Conclusions The presubiculum captures unique AD-related biological variation that is not reflected in total hippocampal volume. Presubiculum volume may be a promising marker of imminent memory problems and can contribute to understanding the interaction between incipient AD-related pathologies and memory performance. The modulation by hippocampal amyloid suggests that amyloid is a necessary, but not sufficient, process to drive neurodegeneration in memory-related regions.
What this study adds
Evidence grade: Low
The record lists 127 participants. In 127 clinically normal older individuals, presubiculum volume linked amyloid and tau pathology to memory performance, with hippocampal amyloid modifying the relationship. Reported effect size: 53.5%.
Taken from this record’s own fields, not from reading the paper. The grade is assigned from the abstract’s wording; what that means.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Jacobs, H. I. L., Augustinack, J. C., Schultz, A. P., Hanseeuw, B. J., Locascio, J., Amariglio, R. E., et al. (2020). The presubiculum links incipient amyloid and tau pathology to memory function in older persons. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000009362
Vancouver
Jacobs HIL, Augustinack JC, Schultz AP, Hanseeuw BJ, Locascio J, Amariglio RE, et al. The presubiculum links incipient amyloid and tau pathology to memory function in older persons. Neurology. 2020. doi:10.1212/wnl.0000000000009362. PMID: 32273431.
BibTeX
@article{jacobs2020-32273431,
author = {Jacobs, H. I. L. and Augustinack, J. C. and Schultz, A. P. and Hanseeuw, B. J. and Locascio, J. and Amariglio, R. E. and Papp, K. V. and Rentz, D. M. and others},
title = {{The presubiculum links incipient amyloid and tau pathology to memory function in older persons}},
journal = {Neurology},
year = {2020},
doi = {10.1212/wnl.0000000000009362},
pmid = {32273431},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000009362}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Results Neocortical amyloid, entorhinal tau, and presubiculum volume univariately associated with memory performance.
- The modulation by hippocampal amyloid suggests that amyloid is a necessary, but not sufficient, process to drive neurodegeneration in memory-related regions.
Why it matters
In 127 clinically normal older individuals, presubiculum volume linked amyloid and tau pathology to memory performance, with hippocampal amyloid modifying the relationship. This is an observational imaging study and does not test any treatment, cure, or prevention for Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Participants127
- Effect size53.5%
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 52/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design and randomized / 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 | 2 / 4 | 127 participants |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 3 / 7 | Cited 24 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 3.0 citations a year over 8 year(s) since 2020 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 2.1× 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 11 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Keith A. Johnson: h-index 127 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Harvard University: institution h-index 3,235 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 32273431) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 52 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000009362
- PubMed: 32273431
- Original source →
- Free full text: PubMed Central →
Full text: free to read — PubMed Central lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 10 Oct 2026).
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