Path integration deficits predict phosphorylated tau accumulation in the entorhinal cortex: Assessment of Braak stage I,II using 3D Virtual reality goggles

• Published in: Alzheimer's & dementia Vol. 19; no. S22
• Main Authors: Takashima, Akihiko, Koike, Riki, Soeda, Yoshiyuki, Fujioka, Yusuke, Ishigaki, Shinsuke, Watanabe, Hirohisa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.12.2023
• ISSN: 1552-5260; 1552-5279; 1552-5279
• DOI: 10.1002/alz.072386

Background We aimed to develop behavioral tasks that can identify early signs of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in order to facilitate the development of preventative and therapeutic interventions. Method To do this, we created a 3D virtual reality task that is sensitive to the activity of grid cells in the entorhinal cortex, a region that is affected early on in AD. We tested path integration in a spatial navigation task in 177 volunteers between the ages of 20 and 89 who did not have a self‐diagnosed AD. Result Our results showed that the percentage of subjects showing impaired path integration correlated with the percentage of subjects showing neurofibrillary tangles in the entorhinal cortex, as seen in previously published autopsy data. To further confirm this relationship, we also tested a tauopathy mouse model and found that mice with accumulation of phosphorylated tau in the entorhinal cortex had impaired path integration without impairments in spatial cognition or novel object recognition. Conclusion These findings suggest that path integration deficit is caused by the accumulation of phosphorylated tau in the entorhinal cortex and may allow for early identification of individuals at risk for developing AD.