Journal Article

DZNE-2026-00642

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Brain regional susceptibility to tauopathy in individuals at risk for chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

Wiegand, T. L. T. ; Rubinski, A. ; Jung, L. B. ; Franzmeier, N. ; Arciniega, H. ; Ravanfar, P. ; Dewenter, A. ; Alosco, M. L. ; Tripodis, Y. ; Su, Y. ; Protas, H. ; Lin, A. P. ; Pasternak, O. ; Chen, K. ; Coleman, M. J. ; Bouix, S. ; Adler, C. H. ; Balcer, L. J. ; Bernick, C. ; Cummings, J. L. ; Stern, R. A. ; Reiman, E. M. ; Shenton, M. E. ; Ewers, M.DZNE* ; Koerte, I. K. ; Project, D. C. R. (Collaboration Author)

2026
Wiley Hoboken, NJ

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Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.1002/alz.71503

Abstract: Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a tauopathy linked to repetitive head impacts. Factors influencing brain regional susceptibility to tau deposition and spreading remain unclear.We used three datasets: [18F]flortaucipir positron emission tomography (PET) in 157 former professional American football players and 53 controls (DIAGNOSE CTE); cortical myelin water fractions (MWF) in 50 healthy individuals (Myelin Water Atlas); and white matter (WM) tract MWF and functional connectivity (FC) in 100 healthy individuals (Human Connectome Project). We tested associations between tau-PET uptake and covariance in football players and typical cortical gray matter (GM) MWF, WM tract MWF, and FC.Cortical regions with lower typical GM MWF showed higher tau-PET uptake (β = -0.399, p = 0.001). WM tracts with lower typical MWF were associated with higher tau-PET covariance (β = -0.238, p < 0.001). Higher typical FC was associated with higher tau-PET covariance (β = 0.447, p < 0.001).In former football players at risk for CTE, regional susceptibility to tau deposition may be driven by low myelin and high FC.

Keyword(s): Humans (MeSH) ; Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy: diagnostic imaging (MeSH) ; Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy: metabolism (MeSH) ; Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy: pathology (MeSH) ; Male (MeSH) ; Positron-Emission Tomography (MeSH) ; Tauopathies: diagnostic imaging (MeSH) ; Tauopathies: metabolism (MeSH) ; Brain: diagnostic imaging (MeSH) ; Brain: pathology (MeSH) ; Brain: metabolism (MeSH) ; White Matter: diagnostic imaging (MeSH) ; White Matter: pathology (MeSH) ; Adult (MeSH) ; Football: injuries (MeSH) ; tau Proteins: metabolism (MeSH) ; Middle Aged (MeSH) ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MeSH) ; Gray Matter: diagnostic imaging (MeSH) ; Gray Matter: pathology (MeSH) ; Female (MeSH) ; Disease Susceptibility (MeSH) ; Myelin Sheath (MeSH) ; American football ; CTE ; dementia ; functional connectivity ; myelin levels ; neurodegeneration ; neuroimaging ; repetitive head impacts ; tauopathy ; tau‐PET ; tau Proteins

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Clinical Research (Munich) (Clinical Research (Munich))

Research Program(s):

1. 353 - Clinical and Health Care Research (POF4-353) (POF4-353)

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Database coverage:
; Clarivate Analytics Master Journal List ; Current Contents - Clinical Medicine ; DEAL Wiley ; Essential Science Indicators ; IF >= 10 ; JCR ; PubMed Central ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Web of Science Core Collection

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