Cognitive aging outcomes are related to both tau pathology and maintenance of cingulate cortex structure

Abstract

Introduction: Successful cognitive aging is related to both maintaining brain structure and avoiding Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology, but how these factors interplay is unclear.

Methods: A total of 109 cognitively normal older adults (70+ years old) underwent amyloid beta (Aβ) and tau positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and cognitive testing. Cognitive aging was quantified using the cognitive age gap (CAG), subtracting chronological age from predicted cognitive age.

Results: Lower CAG (younger cognitive age) was related to slower decline in episodic memory, multi-domain cognition, and atrophy of the midcingulate cortex (MCC). Lower entorhinal cortical tau was linked to slower decline in episodic memory, multi-domain cognition, and hippocampal atrophy.

Discussion: These results suggest that aging outcomes may be influenced by two independent pathways: one associated with tau accumulation, affecting primarily memory and hippocampal atrophy, and another involving tau-independent structural preservation of the MCC, benefiting multi-domain cognition over time.

Highlights: Younger cognitive age (lower cognitive age gap [CAG]) is related to slower cognitive decline. Lower CAG is linked to slower midcingulate cortex (MCC) atrophy. Reduced tau in the entorhinal cortex is related to less hippocampal atrophy and cognitive decline. Structural preservation of the MCC benefits multi-domain cognition over time. Two independent pathways influence cognitive aging: tau accumulation and MCC preservation.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease; PET; brain atrophy; brain maintenance; cognitive decline; exceptional cognitive performance; successful aging; superaging; tau.