Computational Causal Modeling of the Dynamic Biomarker Cascade in Alzheimer’s Disease

Figure 3

Model of late-onset, amyloid-first AD. The red, blue, and yellow curves represent the evolution of amyloid, tau, and neuronal biomarker levels, respectively, over the course of the disease. In (a), the blue and yellow lines are combined into a single purple line, per the original theory in which tau was considered a neurodegenerative marker. The green curves represent cognition in two hypothetical high- and low-risk groups, based on cognitive reserve. Our CCM-generated curves (b) match closely the pattern hypothesized in the literature ((a) is adapted from [6] with permission).

(a)

(b)