Fig. 4.

Cortical amyloid plaque load and its correlation to CSF and serum NfL concentrations in 5×FAD mice. (A) Representative images of ThioS-positive amyloid plaques in cortex of 2 (n = 9), 4 (n = 11), 6 (n = 11), and 12 (n = 9) months old 5×FAD mice, scale bars: 100 μm. (B) Quantification of the area (%) covered by ThioS-positive amyloid plaques in cortex revealed a significantly higher plaque load with increased age. Cortical plaque load correlated significantly positive with (C) CSF NfL concentration and (D) serum NfL concentration when assessed over all age groups. Data are presented as median and IQR. Whiskers represent data within 1.5 IQR of the lower and upper quartiles. For comparison between groups, statistical analysis was performed using the Jonckheere-Terpstra trend test followed by the Mann-Whitney U-test for post hoc group comparisons between the youngest group an all other groups. p-values were corrected for multiple comparisons using the Bonferroni method (∗∗∗p < 0.00033). Correlation analysis was performed using Spearman’s rank-ordered correlation coefficient (∗∗∗p < 0.001). Abbreviations: CSF, cerebrospinal fluid; IQR, interquartile range; NfL, neurofilament light; ThioS, thioflavin S.