PET markers of tau and neuroinflammation are co-localized in progressive supranuclear palsy

Abstract:

Background Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) is associated with tau-protein aggregation and neuroinflammation, but it remains unclear whether these pathogenic processes are related in vivo . Objectives We examined the relationship between tau pathology and microglial activation using [ 18 F]AV-1451 (indexing tau burden) and [ 11 C]PK11195 (microglial activation) PET in n=17 patients with PSP-Richardson’s syndrome. Methods Non-displaceable binding potential (BP ND ) for each ligand was quantified in 83 regions of interest (ROIs). [ 18 F]AV-1451 and [ 11 C]PK11195 BP ND values were correlated across all ROIs. The anatomical patterns of [ 18 F]AV-1451 and [ 11 C]PK11195 binding co-localization was determined across sets of regions derived from principal component analyses (PCAs). Finally, PCA-derived brain patterns of tau pathology and neuroinflammation were linked to clinical severity. Results [ 18 F]AV-1451 and [ 11 C]PK11195 binding were positively related across all ROIs (r=0.577, p