Introduction: Amyloidosis, including cerebral amyloid angiopathy, and markers of small vessel disease (SVD) vary across dominantly inherited Alzheimer's disease (DIAD) presenilin-1 (PSEN1) mutation carriers. We investigated how mutation position relative to codon 200 (pre-/postcodon 200) influences these pathologic features and dementia at different stages.
Methods: Individuals from families with known PSEN1 mutations (n = 393) underwent neuroimaging and clinical assessments. We cross-sectionally evaluated regional Pittsburgh compound B-positron emission tomography uptake, magnetic resonance imaging markers of SVD (diffusion tensor imaging-based white matter injury, white matter hyperintensity volumes, and microhemorrhages), and cognition.
Results: Postcodon 200 carriers had lower amyloid burden in all regions but worse markers of SVD and worse Clinical Dementia Rating® scores compared to precodon 200 carriers as a function of estimated years to symptom onset. Markers of SVD partially mediated the mutation position effects on clinical measures.
Discussion: We demonstrated the genotypic variability behind spatiotemporal amyloidosis, SVD, and clinical presentation in DIAD, which may inform patient prognosis and clinical trials.
Highlights: Mutation position influences Aβ burden, SVD, and dementia. PSEN1 pre-200 group had stronger associations between Aβ burden and disease stage. PSEN1 post-200 group had stronger associations between SVD markers and disease stage. PSEN1 post-200 group had worse dementia score than pre-200 in late disease stage. Diffusion tensor imaging-based SVD markers mediated mutation position effects on dementia in the late stage.
Keywords: PSEN1; PiB‐PET; autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease (ADAD); cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA); codon 200; dominantly inherited Alzheimer's disease (DIAD); microbleeds; microhemorrhages; peak width of skeletonized mean diffusivity (PSMD); presenilin‐1; small vessel disease (SVD); white matter hyperintensity (WMH).
© 2024 The Authors. Alzheimer's & Dementia published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.