Alzheimer’s genetic risk is reduced in primary age-related tauopathy: a potential model of resistance?

Nearly all adults >50 years of age have evidence for neurofibrillary tau tangles (NFTs) and a significant proportion of individuals additionally develop amyloid plaques (Aβ) consistent with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In an effort to identify the independent genetic risk factors for NFTs and Aβ, we investigated genotypic frequencies of AD susceptibility loci between autopsy-confirmed AD and primary age-related tauopathy (PART), a neuropathological condition defined by characteristic neurofibrillary tau tangles (NFTs) with minimal or absent Aβ.