title: The relationship between CSF tau markers, hippocampal volume and delayed primacy performance in cognitively intact elderly individuals.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Primacy performance in recall has been shown to predict cognitive decline in cognitively intact elderly, and conversion from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Delayed primacy performance, but not delayed non-primacy performance, has been shown to be associated with hippocampal volume in cognitively intact older individuals. Since presence of neurofibrillary tangles is an early sign of AD-related pathology, we set out to test whether cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of tau had an effect on delayed primacy performance, while controlling for hippocampal volume and CSF Aβ 1-42 levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-seven individuals, 60 or older and cognitively intact, underwent a multi-session study including lumbar puncture, an MRI scan of the head and memory testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our regression analyses show that CSF levels of hyperphosphorylated (P) tau are only associated with reduced delayed primacy performance when hippocampal volumes are smaller.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that hippocampal size may play a protective role against the negative effects of P tau on memory.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.affiliation: German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) - Rostock/Greifswald, Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Michel J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Grothe
authors.affiliation: Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA ; Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, New York University, New York City, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nierenberg
authors.affiliation: German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) - Rostock/Greifswald, Rostock, Germany ; Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Teipel
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden ; UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK.
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zetterberg
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden.
authors.forename: Kaj
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Blennow
authors.affiliation: Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA ; Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, New York University, New York City, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Nunzio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pomara
keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; Amyloid β 1-42; CSF Biomarkers; Hippocampus; Memory; Primacy; Serial Position; Tau