Spatial representation of the statistical assessment of APOE ε4, tau scores, and β-amyloid scores on FDG SUVR. No regions of statistically significant effect APOE ε4 after FDR thresholding for multiple comparisons. The Tau scores were significantly associated with a reduction in glucose metabolism in several regions. The β-amyloid scores were significantly associated with FDG in small areas of the lateral inferior temporal gyri, entorhinal cortex, and parietal cortex.
The assessment of the main effects of APOE ε4 and SVD-based tau scores on FDG SUVR at each voxel was performed by statistical inference over the coefficients in a voxelwise linear model with no interaction terms.
Panel A in the figure demonstrates that, although showing an overall trend of relationship with glucose metabolism, the main effect of APOE ε4 did not produce areas of statistical significance after controlling for multiple comparisons.
In contrast, the increase in tau scores was significantly associated with a reduction in glucose metabolism in several regions, including the precuneus, the posterior cingulate cortex, the lateral inferior temporal areas, the entorhinal cortex, and extended regions of the parietal cortex.
For comparison purposes, a similar linear model was also evaluated to assess the association between glucose metabolism and the SVD-based β-amyloid scores. Panel C in the figure shows that only small areas of statistical significance could be detected within the lateral inferior temporal gyri, entorhinal cortex, and the parietal cortex.