The MANTA project investigates changes in functional brain networks of patients with Alzheimer's Disease in relation to the spread of tau protein in the brain. We therefore formed the unique combination of magnetoencephalography (MEG) and tau-PET scans. We included 57 patients with Alzheimer's Disease (16 with subjective complaints, 16 with mild cognitive impairment, 25 with dementia) and 25 control subjects. The most important results are that tau proteins do not simply diffuse to neighbouring brain regions, but use structural connections (white matter tracts), and that -in addition- the communication traffic over those connections (i.e. functional connectivity) play an important role in the spead of tau. Moreover, specific characteristics of the brain network facilitate the tau spread, especially highly connected regions, the so-called 'hubs', have a role in this mechanism. These results show that the brain network characteristics and the activity over that network are important for disease progression. This project therefore gives support for interventions that target brain network activity, aiming to slow progression.

Date Submitted: 2023-02-24