We examine the impact of APOE-ε4 carrier status on cortical iron, gray matter microstructure, and tau-PET signal in mild cognitive impairment. We found significant increases in susceptibility (p=0.01), tau-PET SUVR (p=0.01), and MD (p=0.046) in the temporal lobe of APOE-ε4 positive compared to APOE-ε4 negative participants. Significant correlations were seen between tau-PET SUVR and susceptibility (r=0.717), FA (r=-0.431), and MD (r=0.435) in the temporal lobe of APOE-ε4 positive participants. Taken together, these findings suggest that APOE-ε4 allele increases the risk of developing AD pathology and accumulating iron, which in turn leads to degradation of cortical tissue microstructure.
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