Tau accumulation is associated with dopamine deficiency in vivo in four-repeat tauopathies

• DOI: 10.1007/s00259-024-06637-6
• Publication Date: 2024-02-17T03:02:06Z
• Authors: Christian Ferschmann; Konstantin Messer...; Johannes Gnörich; Henryk Barthel; Ken Marek; Carla Palleis; Sabrina Katzdobler; Anna Stockbauer; Urban Fietzek; Anika Finze; Gloria Biechele; Jost-Julian Rumpf; Dorothee Saur; Matthias L. Schro...; Michael Rullmann; Leonie Beyer; Florian Eckenweber; Stephan Wall; Andreas Schildan; Marianne Patt; Andrew Stephens; Joseph Classen; Peter Bartenstein; John Seibyl; Nicolai Franzmeier; Johannes Levin; Günter U. Höglinger; Osama Sabri; Matthias Brendel; Maximilian Scheifele
• Keywords: Tauopathy

Abstract Purpose We hypothesized that severe tau burden in brain regions involved direct or indirect pathways of the basal ganglia correlate with more striatal dopamine deficiency four-repeat (4R) tauopathies. Therefore, we correlated [ 18 F]PI-2620 tau-positron-emission-tomography (PET) imaging 123 I]-Ioflupane single-photon-emission-computed tomography (SPECT) for transporter (DaT) availability. Methods Thirty-eight patients clinically diagnosed 4R-tauopathies (21 male; 69.0 ± 8.5 years) and 15 α-synucleinopathies (8 66.1 10.3 who underwent tau-PET DaT-SPECT a time gap 3 5 months were evaluated. Regional Tau-PET signals DaT availability as well their principal components α-synucleinopathies. Both biomarkers residuals association clinical severity scores 4R-tauopathies. Results In 4R-tauopathies, binding midbrain was negatively associated (i.e. globus pallidus internus putamen (β = − 0.464, p 0.006, Durbin-Watson statistics 1.824) multiple regression model. Contrarily, dentate nucleus showed no significant factor striatum 0.078, 0.662, 1.686). Patients did not indicate any regional associations between F]PI-2620-binding Higher relative to better performance 0.522, 0.011, 2.663) Conclusion Tau dopaminergic is aggravated dysfunction primary The ability sustain transmission despite accumulation may preserve motor function.