Oxygen extraction fraction is differentially associated with pathological biomarkers in Alzheimer’s disease and non-Alzheimer’s dementias

Introduction We aimed to understand the pathophysiological differences between 16 Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and 15 non-AD dementia patients by quantifying oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) in cortical (CGM) and deep gray matter (DGM) regions. Methods To achieve this, we used a novel MRI-based OEF mapping technique, QQ, which estimates OEF from routine multi-echo gradient echo data. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to compare the associations between OEF and white matter hyperintensities (WMH) or cognitive impairment (measured by Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) between the two groups. Results In the AD and non-AD group, OEF showed negative associations with WMH in DGM and positive associations with MoCA in DGM and CGM. Discussion Our study suggests that QQ is a promising tool for differentiating between AD and non-AD dementias, by revealing abnormalities in tissue oxygen usage and their relationships to microvascular changes and cognitive impairment.