open access publication

Article, 2024

The degeneration of locus coeruleus occurring during Alzheimer’s disease clinical progression: a neuroimaging follow-up investigation

Brain Structure and Function, ISSN 1863-2653, 1863-2661, Volume 229, 5, Pages 1317-1325, 10.1007/s00429-024-02797-1

Contributors

Galgani, Alessandro 0000-0002-1894-4128 [1] Lombardo, Francesco 0000-0002-6943-2966 [2] Frijia, Francesca [3] Martini, Nicola 0000-0003-3008-0163 [3] Tognoni, Gloria [1] Pavese, Nicola 0000-0002-6801-6194 [4] [5] Giorgi, Filippo Sean 0000-0002-2940-8128 (Corresponding author) [1]

Affiliations

  1. [1] University of Pisa
    2. [NORA names: Italy; Europe, EU; OECD];
  2. [2] Department of Radiology, Fondazione Toscana G. Monasterio, Pisa, Italy
    3. [NORA names: Italy; Europe, EU; OECD];
  3. [3] Bioengineering Unit, Fondazione Toscana G. Monasterio, Pisa, Italy
    4. [NORA names: Italy; Europe, EU; OECD];
  4. [4] Aarhus University
    5. [NORA names: AU Aarhus University; University; Denmark; Europe, EU; Nordic; OECD];
  5. [5] Newcastle University
    6. [NORA names: United Kingdom; Europe, Non-EU; OECD]

Abstract

The noradrenergic nucleus Locus Coeruleus (LC) is precociously involved in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) pathology, and its degeneration progresses during the course of the disease. Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), researchers showed also in vivo in patients the disruption of LC, which can be observed both in Mild Cognitively Impaired individuals and AD demented patients. In this study, we report the results of a follow-up neuroradiological assessment, in which we evaluated the LC degeneration overtime in a group of cognitively impaired patients, submitted to MRI both at baseline and at the end of a 2.5-year follow-up. We found that a progressive LC disruption can be observed also in vivo, involving the entire nucleus and associated with clinical diagnosis. Our findings parallel neuropathological ones, which showed a continuous increase of neuronal death and volumetric atrophy within the LC with the progression of Braak’s stages for neurofibrillary pathology. This supports the reliability of MRI as a tool for exploring the integrity of the central noradrenergic system in neurodegenerative disorders.

Keywords

Alzheimer, Alzheimer's disease, Braak stage, assessment, associated with clinical diagnosis, atrophy, baseline, central noradrenergic system, clinical diagnosis, clinical progression, coeruleus, cognitively impaired individuals, cognitively impaired patients, course, death, degeneration, degeneration of locus coeruleus, demented patients, diagnosis, disease, disease clinical progression, disorders, disruption, findings, follow-up, follow-up investigation, group, group of cognitively impaired patients, images, impaired individuals, impaired patients, in vivo, increase, increase of neuronal death, individuals, integration, investigation, locus coeruleus, magnetic resonance imaging, magnetization, mild cognitive impairment individuals, neurodegenerative disorders, neurofibrillary pathology, neuroimaging, neuronal death, neuroradiological assessment, noradrenergic nucleus locus coeruleus, noradrenergic system, nucleus, nucleus locus coeruleus, ones, overtime, pathology, patients, progression, reliability, reliability of magnetic resonance imaging, research, resonance imaging, results, stage, study, system, tools, volumetric atrophy

Funders

  • Ministero della Salute

Data Provider: Digital Science

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