Tau PET Scans & Alzheimer’s: Uncovering Modifiable Risk Factors

NEW ORLEANS, June 24, 2025

Tackling Alzheimer’s: More Than Just Genetics
Modifiable factors coudl slow the disease.

• BMI, hypertension, and education may influence Alzheimer’s progression.
• Women and ApoE4 carriers showed faster tau progression.
• Genetics link to spatial progression; modifiable factors to local tau increase.
• Tau speed and level rise offer treatment insights.

Emerging research suggests managing modifiable factors may help slow Alzheimer’s. What impact do factors like BMI, hypertension, and education have on Alzheimer’s disease? These appear to play a role in how quickly the disease progresses, according to new findings.

What lifestyle changes have you found most effective in maintaining cognitive health as you age? Share your experiences in the comments below.

The Role of Modifiable Factors

A recent study presented at the Society for Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) conference explored the connection between Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and factors like body mass index (BMI), hypertension, and education level. Researchers, led by Dr. Merle Hoenig from the Julich Research Center in germany, suggest these factors could influence the course of the disease.

The research team reviewed tau volume maps derived from longitudinal ¹⁸F-AV-1451 PET scans of 162 amyloid-positive individuals. The study group included 55 participants with mild cognitive impairment, 30 with AD, and 77 with no cognitive impairment.

Did you know that PET scans using ¹⁸F-AV-1451 can visualize tau protein deposits in the brain, allowing researchers to track the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in living individuals?

Speed vs. Level: Two Aspects of Tau Pathology

Dr. hoenig and colleagues found that women and carriers of the Apolipoprotein E gene (ApoE4) – a known risk factor for AD – exhibited greater tau speed (spatial progression) over time.Meanwhile, modifiable factors, including education, hypertension and BMI, seemed to affect the rise in tau levels (local tau amplification).

Did you know? Tau is a protein that accumulates in the brain during Alzheimer’s disease.

“We believe that, in particular, genetics are more closely related to the spatial progression whereas those modifiable factors are more linked to the increase of tau pathology at certain regions,” Dr. Hoenig explained.

Implications for Treatment

Dr.Hoenig believes that a closer look at both tau speed and tau level rise could provide valuable insights into developing new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. “(When) you consider both aspects of tau pathology, so the tau speed as well as the tau level rise, it might provide a bit more refined means to have a look at the efficacy of these novel AD drug compounds that are currently tested in the clinics,” she said.

pro tip: Maintaining a healthy weight, managing blood pressure, and engaging in lifelong learning are proactive steps you can take to potentially mitigate Alzheimer’s risk.

Reference

1. Hoenig M, Dzialas V, Doering E, Bischof G, Van Eimeren T, Drzezga A. The speed limits of tau pathology progression in Alzheimer’s disease. Presented at the Society for Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) conference,June 21-24,2025,New Orleans.Available at: https://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/66/supplement_1/251040 .

Beyond Lifestyle: Cognitive Reserve and Alzheimer’s

The role of education in Alzheimer’s disease has long been an area of interest. The concept of “cognitive reserve” suggests that a higher level of education may provide a buffer against the effects of AD. Essentially, individuals with more education might potentially be able to tolerate a greater degree of brain pathology before symptoms of cognitive decline become apparent.

The study highlighted by Dr. Hoenig’s research provides further nuances to this understanding. While genetics may contribute to the spatial progression of tau in the brain, modifiable factors such as education seem to impact the accumulation of