Table 1.
Subjects and sample characteristics
| CTL (n = 5) | AD (n = 15) | CBD (n = 5) | PiD (n = 5) | FTLD (n = 10) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age at death | 79 [72–87] | 70 [64–78] | 69 [58–73] | 62 [57–67] | 60 [54–66] | 0.01 |
| Sex | 60 | 53 | 60 | 0 | 70 | 0.15 |
| APOE genotype | 40–0–60 | 27–60–13 | 60–0–40 | 40–0–60 | 20–40–40 | 0.05 |
| Brain weight | 1157 [1010–1385] | 1034 [942–1120] | 1044 [950–1293] | 973 [872–1445] | 938 [833–1055] | 0.14 |
| Post mortem delay | 6 [4–8] | 5 [4–6] | 7 [5–50] | 6 [5–8] | 6 [5–7] | 0.15 |
| Braak stage | 0–II | V–VI | NA | |||
| Amyloid CERAD | 80–20–0–0–0 | 0–0–0–100–0 | 0–40–0–0–60 | 20–0–0–0–80 | 20–0–0–0–80 | <0.001 |
| Total soluble tau | 553 [28–1077] | 678 [528–802] | 683 [494–1000] | 570 [433–866] | 647 [448–873] | 0.94 |
| Total insoluble tau | 9 [5–13] | 236 [147–482] | 193 [117–333] | 44 [19–79] | 64 [28–117] | 0.0 |
Values are shown as percentage or median with confidence intervals 95%. Age (years), brain weight (g), post mortem delay (hours between death and autopsy) and total tau values were analysed using two-tailed Kruskal–Wallis test (P < 0.05). Sex (% female), APOE genotype (% ε3–% ε4–% unknown), and amyloid CERAD scores (% 0 - % A - % B - % C - % unknow) were analysed using two-tailed Fischer exact test (P < 0.05). CBD, PiD, and FTLD were younger than AD and CTL subjects. AD cases were more frequently APOE ε4 carriers and had an amyloid CERAD score of “C” whereas none of the non-AD cases had such score. Braak stages (0–VI) between AD and CTL subjects were not compared as the cases were selected on that base. The absolute quantities of total tau (fmol) measured using the tau MTBR (3R + 4R isoforms, quantified by the Termo Fisher Scientific SureQUANT method) in soluble brain extracts did not differ between conditions, but was significantly elevated in disease groups compared to controls in insoluble tau (limit of quantification: 50 attomoles). AD Alzheimer’s disease, CBD corticobasal degeneration, PiD Pick’s disease, FTLD frontotemporal lobe degeneration, CTL control individuals, CERAD Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease, APOE apolipoprotein E, NA not applicable. Source data are provided as a Source Data file (see sheet 4 for sample complete information).