Emerging role of vascular burden in AT(N) classification in individuals with Alzheimer's and concomitant cerebrovascular burdens

Abstract

Objectives Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterised by amyloid-beta accumulation (A), tau aggregation (T) and neurodegeneration (N). Vascular (V) burden has been found concomitantly with AD pathology and has synergistic effects on cognitive decline with AD biomarkers. We determined whether cognitive trajectories of AT(N) categories differed according to vascular (V) burden. Methods We prospectively recruited 205 participants and classified them into groups based on the AT(N) system using neuroimaging markers. Abnormal V markers were identified based on the presence of severe white matter hyperintensities. Results In A+ category, compared with the frequency of Alzheimer's pathological change category (A+T-), the frequency of AD category (A+T+) was significantly lower in V+ group (31.8%) than in V- group (64.4%) (p=0.004). Each AT(N) biomarker was predictive of cognitive decline in the V+ group as well as in the V- group (p<0.001). Additionally, the V+ group showed more severe cognitive trajectories than the V- group in the non-Alzheimer's pathological changes (A-T+, A-N+; p=0.002) and Alzheimer's pathological changes (p<0.001) categories. Conclusion The distribution and longitudinal outcomes of AT(N) system differed according to vascular burdens, suggesting the importance of incorporating a V biomarker into the AT(N) system.