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Visual Classification of Tau-PET Detects 4 Subtypes With Different Long-Term Outcomes
Cecilia Boccalini, Gregory Mathoux, Inès Hristovska, Federica Ribaldi, Débora Elisa Peretti, Annachiara Arnone, Max Scheffler, Giovanni Battista Frisoni et al.. Neurology, 2025-09-12
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
< 0.001), with the automated approach more likely to classify a scan as tau negative and lower agreement between methods in more severe cases and AD clinical variants. Regarding the visual classification, individuals with S2 subtype were younger than S1 and S3, had lower MMSE and verbal fluency scores than S4 and S1, showed higher global tau burden than other subtypes, and a steeper cognitive decline. Visual classification reliably identified 4 tau patterns that differ in global tau load, clinical features, and long-term outcomes, suggesting its clinical usefulness for the detection of higher-risk AD variants. A clinically implementable classification of subtypes with faster decline is paramount for personalized diagnosis, accurate prognosis, and treatment.
Key findings
- < 0.001), with the automated approach more likely to classify a scan as tau negative and lower agreement between methods in more severe cases and AD clinical variants.
- Regarding the visual classification, individuals with S2 subtype were younger than S1 and S3, had lower MMSE and verbal fluency scores than S4 and S1, showed higher global tau burden than other subtypes, and a steeper cognitive decline.
- Visual classification reliably identified 4 tau patterns that differ in global tau load, clinical features, and long-term outcomes, suggesting its clinical usefulness for the detection of higher-risk AD variants.
- A clinically implementable classification of subtypes with faster decline is paramount for personalized diagnosis, accurate prognosis, and treatment.
Why it matters
Visual classification of tau-PET scans identified four tau patterns that differed in tau load, clinical features, and long-term outcomes, with one subtype showing steeper cognitive decline. The authors suggest this classification could be useful for personalized diagnosis and prognosis, but it does not test any treatment or cure.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 46/100
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 (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 | 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) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 2 / 7 | Cited 7 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.4× 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 7 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Valentina Garibotto: h-index 57 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Lund University: institution h-index 1,119 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40939126) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 46 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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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.
APA 7th
Boccalini, C., Mathoux, G., Hristovska, I., Ribaldi, F., Peretti, D. E., Arnone, A., et al. (2025). Visual Classification of Tau-PET Detects 4 Subtypes With Different Long-Term Outcomes. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000213950
Vancouver
Boccalini C, Mathoux G, Hristovska I, Ribaldi F, Peretti DE, Arnone A, et al. Visual Classification of Tau-PET Detects 4 Subtypes With Different Long-Term Outcomes. Neurology. 2025. doi:10.1212/wnl.0000000000213950. PMID: 40939126.
BibTeX
@article{boccalini2025-40939126,
author = {Boccalini, Cecilia and Mathoux, Gregory and Hristovska, Inès and Ribaldi, Federica and Peretti, Débora Elisa and Arnone, Annachiara and Scheffler, Max and Frisoni, Giovanni Battista and others},
title = {{Visual Classification of Tau-PET Detects 4 Subtypes With Different Long-Term Outcomes}},
journal = {Neurology},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1212/wnl.0000000000213950},
pmid = {40939126},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000213950}
}
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