In vivo tau and diffusion correlation in Alzheimer’s disease

Motivation: To investigate the microstructural changes caused by tau deposits in Alzheimer's disease. Goal(s): Use diffusion imaging in vivo to detect microstructural changes related to tau deposits. Approach: We used MR diffusion and PET tau images in conjunction with native space segmentation maps from T1-weighted images to explore correlations between tau deposits and diffusion maps in a group of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Results: There is decreased diffusion in gray matter with increasing tau deposits in Alzheimer's patients which may be used for non-invasive monitoring of disease progression. Impact: Diffusion MRI may provide a proxy measure of tau deposits in gray matter and may decrease the need for repeated radioactive tracer use for monitoring Alzheimer's disease progression.