AI-driven fusion of multimodal data for Alzheimer’s disease biomarker assessment
Alzheimer's disease (AD) diagnosis hinges on detecting amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tau (τ) tangles, typically assessed using PET imaging. While accurate, these modalities are expensive and not widely accessible, limiting their utility in routine clinical practice. Here, we present a multimodal computational framework that integrates data from seven distinct cohorts comprising 12, 185 participants to estimate individual PET profiles using more readily available neurological assessments. Our approach achieved an AUROC of 0.79 and 0.84 in classifying Aβ and τ status, respectively. Predicted PET status was consistent with various biomarker profiles and postmortem pathology, and model-identified regional brain volumes aligned with known spatial patterns of tau deposition. This approach can support scalable pre-screening of candidates for anti-amyloid therapies and clinical trials targeting Aβ and τ, offering a practical alternative to direct PET imaging.
Authors
- Vijaya B. Kolachalama (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5312-8644)
- Rhoda Au (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7742-4491)
- Michael F. Romano (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7022-9252)
- Varuna Jasodanand (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-2689-0259)
- Shreyas Puducheri (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-6850-7370)
- Sahana S Kowshik
- Lingyi Xu
Institutions
- Boston University (US)
- University of California, San Francisco (US)
- University of California System (US)
- University of Massachusetts Boston (US)
- Framingham Heart Study (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2025-08-11
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62590-4
- Citations
- 17
- Primary Topic
- Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 25.01
Funders
- Alzheimer's Association
- American Heart Association
- Bristol-Myers Squibb
- Eli Lilly and Company
- Pfizer
- Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Biogen
- University of Southern California
- Meso Scale Diagnostics
- BioClinica
- Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
- Northern California Institute for Research and Education
- GHR Foundation
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
- Eisai
- Servier
- H. Lundbeck A/S
- IXICO
- National Institutes of Health
- Genentech
- Avid Radiopharmaceuticals
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research
- National Institute on Aging
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute