Alterations in gamma frequency oscillations correlate with cortical tau deposition in Alzheimer’s disease

We assessed the relationship of gamma oscillations with tau deposition in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other cognitive diseases, as both are altered during the disease course and relate to neurodegeneration. We retrospectively analyzed data from 7 AD, tau positive patients and 9 tau negative patients, that underwent amyloid PET, and cerebral tau PET and EEG within 12 months. Relative gamma power was higher in tau positive (AD) patients than in tau negative patients (p<.05) and tau burden was associated with a linear increase in gamma power (p<.001), while no association was present with amyloid-β burden. Thus, increase in the gamma power might represent a novel biomarker for tau driven neurodegeneration.