Neuropathological comorbidity, genetics and cognition in a Chinese community-based autopsy cohort

Abstract

Neurodegenerative comorbidities are common and critical, yet data specific to the Chinese population remains limited. The study aims to investigate the prevalence and associations of neuropathologic changes and comorbidities, and their correlation with genetics and cognition in a community-dwelling autopsy cohort in China. Datasets of 610 participants were obtained from the National Human Brain Bank for Development and Function at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences/Peking Union Medical College. Neuropathological changes analysed included Alzheimer’s disease neuropathological change (ADNC) (n = 331); α-synucleinopathies (n = 124) with 120 Lewy body disease (LBD) and 4 multiple system atrophy; limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy neuropathologic changes (LATE-NC) (n = 341); primary age-related tauopathy (PART) (n = 231); argyrophilic grain disease (AGD) (n = 107); age-related tau astrogliopathy (ARTAG) (n = 144); cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) (n = 183); hippocampus sclerosis (HS) (n = 46). Frontotemporal lobar degeneration, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and amygdala-predominant LBD are rare. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were used to assess the neuropathological associations. Increased age at death was correlated with increased severity in ADNC, LBD, and LATE-NC, as well as with a higher number of comorbidities. APOE ε4 allele frequency in the present autopsy cohort was 13.63%. The presence of the APOE ε4 allele was linked to an advanced ADNC stage and increased comorbidities. The co-pathology prevalence varied by pathologies, with notable increases in specific subgroups: within the ADNC subgroups, LBD, LATE-NC, CAA, and HS were more frequent in advanced stages; in the LATE-NC subgroups, ADNC, CAA, and ARTAG increased, while PART decreased in higher LATE-NC stages. PART cases presented the highest proportion of pure pathology (37.2%) compared to other groups. Advanced ADNC stages were significantly associated with higher LATE-NC stages, and vice versa. Neocortical LBD was correlated with elevated ADNC levels, and higher LATE-NC stages were associated with worsening LBD pathology. High level ADNC, neocortical LBD, and stage 3 of LATE-NC were identified as independent predictors of severe cognition status. Our study suggests that older age at death and APOE ε4 presence are the risk factors for neuropathologic comorbidities in Chinese people. The findings underscore the importance of considering comorbid neurologic diagnoses and therapies in clinical practice.