Tau Networks in Psychotic Alzheimer's Disease

The specific aims of this application are: 1. To measure the regional distribution of tau aggregation in AD patients with psychosis (AD+P) compared to AD without psychosis (AD-P) and Cognitively Unimpaired Healthy (CUH) participants with the PET radiotracer \[18F\]-PI2620; 2. To measure structural and functional brain networks properties in AD+P compared to AD-P patients and CUH participants using MRI; 3. To examine the association of tau pathology with structural/functional network properties; electrophysiologic biomarkers of neurotransmission and neuroplasticity; and psychotic symptoms. The current project will determine whether identification of tau pathology, and associated network connectivity disruptions and sensorimotor gating impairments, may be informing as potential biomarkers for psychosis in AD. As severe adverse events are associated with atypical antipsychotics in AD psychosis, this work will provide insights into whether anti-tau therapies such as monoclonal antibodies to tau, now being investigated in clinical trials, may be effective in the antipsychotic treatment of AD.