title: Vascular risk and Aβ interact to reduce cortical thickness in AD vulnerable brain regions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to define whether vascular risk factors interact with β-amyloid (Aβ) in producing changes in brain structure that could underlie the increased risk of Alzheimer disease (AD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-six cognitively normal and mildly impaired older individuals with a wide range of vascular risk factors were included in this study. The presence of Aβ was assessed using [(11)C]Pittsburgh compound B-PET imaging, and cortical thickness was measured using 3-tesla MRI. Vascular risk was measured with the Framingham Coronary Risk Profile Index.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Individuals with high levels of vascular risk factors have thinner frontotemporal cortex independent of Aβ. These frontotemporal regions are also affected in individuals with Aβ deposition, but the latter show additional thinning in parietal cortices. Aβ and vascular risk were found to interact in posterior (especially in parietal) brain regions, where Aβ has its greatest effect. In this way, the negative effect of Aβ in posterior regions is increased by the presence of vascular risk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aβ and vascular risk interact to enhance cortical thinning in posterior brain regions that are particularly vulnerable to AD. These findings give insight concerning the mechanisms whereby vascular risk increases the likelihood of developing AD and supports the therapeutic intervention of controlling vascular risk for the prevention of AD.
authors.affiliation: From the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute (S.V., C.M.M., M.W., W.J.J.), University of California Berkeley; Department of Neurology (B.R.R., C.D.), University of California Davis; Department of Old Age Psychiatry (N.L.M.), Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK; Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases (S.K., M.W.W.), University of California San Francisco; and Departments of Preventive Medicine (W.J.M.) and Neurology (N.S., H.C.C.), University of Southern California, Los Angeles. sylvia.villeneuve@berkeley.edu.
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Villeneuve
authors.affiliation: From the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute (S.V., C.M.M., M.W., W.J.J.), University of California Berkeley; Department of Neurology (B.R.R., C.D.), University of California Davis; Department of Old Age Psychiatry (N.L.M.), Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK; Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases (S.K., M.W.W.), University of California San Francisco; and Departments of Preventive Medicine (W.J.M.) and Neurology (N.S., H.C.C.), University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: Bruce R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.affiliation: From the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute (S.V., C.M.M., M.W., W.J.J.), University of California Berkeley; Department of Neurology (B.R.R., C.D.), University of California Davis; Department of Old Age Psychiatry (N.L.M.), Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK; Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases (S.K., M.W.W.), University of California San Francisco; and Departments of Preventive Medicine (W.J.M.) and Neurology (N.S., H.C.C.), University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: Cindee M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Madison
authors.affiliation: From the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute (S.V., C.M.M., M.W., W.J.J.), University of California Berkeley; Department of Neurology (B.R.R., C.D.), University of California Davis; Department of Old Age Psychiatry (N.L.M.), Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK; Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases (S.K., M.W.W.), University of California San Francisco; and Departments of Preventive Medicine (W.J.M.) and Neurology (N.S., H.C.C.), University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: Miranka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wirth
authors.affiliation: From the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute (S.V., C.M.M., M.W., W.J.J.), University of California Berkeley; Department of Neurology (B.R.R., C.D.), University of California Davis; Department of Old Age Psychiatry (N.L.M.), Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK; Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases (S.K., M.W.W.), University of California San Francisco; and Departments of Preventive Medicine (W.J.M.) and Neurology (N.S., H.C.C.), University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: Natalie L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Marchant
authors.affiliation: From the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute (S.V., C.M.M., M.W., W.J.J.), University of California Berkeley; Department of Neurology (B.R.R., C.D.), University of California Davis; Department of Old Age Psychiatry (N.L.M.), Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK; Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases (S.K., M.W.W.), University of California San Francisco; and Departments of Preventive Medicine (W.J.M.) and Neurology (N.S., H.C.C.), University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kriger
authors.affiliation: From the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute (S.V., C.M.M., M.W., W.J.J.), University of California Berkeley; Department of Neurology (B.R.R., C.D.), University of California Davis; Department of Old Age Psychiatry (N.L.M.), Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK; Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases (S.K., M.W.W.), University of California San Francisco; and Departments of Preventive Medicine (W.J.M.) and Neurology (N.S., H.C.C.), University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: Wendy J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Mack
authors.affiliation: From the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute (S.V., C.M.M., M.W., W.J.J.), University of California Berkeley; Department of Neurology (B.R.R., C.D.), University of California Davis; Department of Old Age Psychiatry (N.L.M.), Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK; Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases (S.K., M.W.W.), University of California San Francisco; and Departments of Preventive Medicine (W.J.M.) and Neurology (N.S., H.C.C.), University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: Nerses
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sanossian
authors.affiliation: From the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute (S.V., C.M.M., M.W., W.J.J.), University of California Berkeley; Department of Neurology (B.R.R., C.D.), University of California Davis; Department of Old Age Psychiatry (N.L.M.), Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK; Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases (S.K., M.W.W.), University of California San Francisco; and Departments of Preventive Medicine (W.J.M.) and Neurology (N.S., H.C.C.), University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: DeCarli
authors.affiliation: From the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute (S.V., C.M.M., M.W., W.J.J.), University of California Berkeley; Department of Neurology (B.R.R., C.D.), University of California Davis; Department of Old Age Psychiatry (N.L.M.), Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK; Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases (S.K., M.W.W.), University of California San Francisco; and Departments of Preventive Medicine (W.J.M.) and Neurology (N.S., H.C.C.), University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: Helena C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chui
authors.affiliation: From the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute (S.V., C.M.M., M.W., W.J.J.), University of California Berkeley; Department of Neurology (B.R.R., C.D.), University of California Davis; Department of Old Age Psychiatry (N.L.M.), Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK; Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases (S.K., M.W.W.), University of California San Francisco; and Departments of Preventive Medicine (W.J.M.) and Neurology (N.S., H.C.C.), University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Weiner
authors.affiliation: From the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute (S.V., C.M.M., M.W., W.J.J.), University of California Berkeley; Department of Neurology (B.R.R., C.D.), University of California Davis; Department of Old Age Psychiatry (N.L.M.), Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK; Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases (S.K., M.W.W.), University of California San Francisco; and Departments of Preventive Medicine (W.J.M.) and Neurology (N.S., H.C.C.), University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Jagust
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D000814:Aniline Compounds; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D012307:Risk Factors; D013844:Thiazoles; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: C475519:2-(4'-(methylamino)phenyl)-6-hydroxybenzothiazole; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D000814:Aniline Compounds; D013844:Thiazoles