Figure 4: Staging GM degeneration according to the Aβ1–42 biomarker and cognitive status.
From: Basal forebrain degeneration precedes and predicts the cortical spread of Alzheimer’s pathology
(a) A model of predictive pathological staging in which Ch4 and EC degeneration (y axis) dissociate at early stages of pathological progression (x axis), with Ch4 degeneration emerging at stages before amnestic symptoms (HCs expressing the CSF biomarker of AD; HCAβ+) and degeneration in both Ch4 and EC at prodromal amnestic stages of AD (MCI non-progressors; MCI-NPAβ+). (b) Subgroups were delineated according to the CSF Aβ1–42 cutpoint diagnostic of AD pathophysiology and then further delineated according to clinical diagnosis, yielding five subgroups: HCs with normal Aβ levels (HCNAβ; n=52), versus HCAβ+ (n=28), MCI-NPAβ+ (n=39), MCI-ADAβ+ (n=41) and probable ADAβ+ individuals (n=56). Abnormal degeneration in the HCAβ+ subgroup was isolated to Ch4. Abnormal degeneration in the MCI-NPAβ+ subgroup was observed in both Ch4 and EC. *One-tailed P<0.05. Error bars are s.e.m.
