Brain perfusion SPECT correlates with CSF biomarkers in Alzheimer’s disease

Purpose Our aim was to study the correlations between cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker levels such as β-amyloid 42 (Aβ 42 ), total and phosphorylated tau protein (T-tau and P-tau) and brain perfusion SPECT in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) using a voxel-based methodology. Methods Patients ( n = 31) with clinical features of AD ( n = 25) or amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) ( n = 6) were retrospectively included. All subjects underwent the same clinical, neuropsychological and neuroimaging tests. They had a lumbar puncture and a brain perfusion ( 99m Tc-ECD) SPECT within a time interval of 10 (±26) days. Correlations between CSF biomarker concentrations and perfusion were studied using SPM2 software. Individual normalised regional activity values were extracted from the eligible clusters for calculation of correlation coefficients. Results No significant correlation was found between Aβ 42 concentrations and brain perfusion. A significant correlation ( p < 0.01, corrected) was found between T-tau or P-tau concentrations and perfusion in the left parietal cortex. Conclusion Our results suggest a strong correlation between T-tau and P-tau levels and decreased brain perfusion in regions typically affected by neuropathological changes in AD.