Table 1 Selected characteristics of subjects from the religious order study with a clinical diagnosis of no cognitive impairment, mild cognitive impairment, or Alzheimer’s disease

n

12

8

4

12

Men,%

8.4

62.5

25.0

25.0

chi square test, χ ² = 7.13; p = 0.07

Age at death, mean ± SD, y

85.0 ± 6.0

85.1 ± 3.4

83.3 ± 4.6

86.1 ± 5.8

K-W test, p = 0.71

Education, mean ± SD, y

17.5 ± 3.9

19.4 ± 2.8

20.0 ± 1.6

18.0 ± 2.8

K-W test, p = 0.32

MMSE, mean ± SD

27.4 ± 2.0

26.6 ± 2.3

27.5 ± 1.9

16.2 ± 8.9^{***, #, †}

K-W test, p < 0.0001

Time since last MMSE, mean ± SD, d

276 ± 327

256 ± 225

199 ± 117

281 ± 80

K-W test, p = 0.48

Global cognition score, mean ± SD

−0.12 ± 0.23

−0.32 ± 0.52

−0.64 ± 0.31

−1.75 ± 0.96^{***, ##}

K-W test, p < 0.0001

Episodic memory, mean ± SD

0.18 ± 0.37

−0.27 ± 0.54

−0.96 ± 0.51

−2.19 ± 1.19^{***, #}

K-W test, p < 0.0001

Semantic memory, mean ± SD

−0.37 ± 0.47

−0.20 ± 0.59

−0.43 ± 0.59

−1.47 ± 1.24^#

K-W test, p = 0.015

Working memory, mean ± SD

−0.32 ± 0.42

−0.19 ± 0.71

−0.49 ± 0.62

−1.12 ± 0.88

K-W test, p = 0.046

Perceptual speed, mean ± SD

−0.29 ± 0.66

−1.06 ± 0.96

−0.27 ± 0.66

−2.08 ± 0.86^{***, †}

K-W test, p = 0.0008

Visuospatial ability, mean ± SD

−0.44 ± 0.63

−0.10 ± 0.60

−0.44 ± 0.55

−1.37 ± 0.93^##

K-W test, p = 0.0051

apoE e4 allele carriage,%

25.0

37.5

25.0

50.0

chi square test, χ ² = 1.87; p = 0.60

Cerebellar pH, mean ± SD

6.36 ± 0.31

6.43 ± 0.25

6.53 ± 0.11

6.49 ± 0.37

K-W test, p = 0.61

Postmortem delay, mean ± SD, h

7.4 ± 6.4

6.2 ± 3.6

5.7 ± 5.6

6.3 ± 3.9

K-W test, p = 0.90

Neuritic plaque counts, mean ± SD

2.3 ± 2.8

6.1 ± 7.0

1.8 ± 3.5

25.9 ± 26.5^**

K-W test, p = 0.0054

Diffuse plaque counts, mean ± SD

12.3 ± 23.7

29.6 ± 29.5

9.0 ± 10.5

20.4 ± 17.2

K-W test, p = 0.11

Aβ₄₀ concentration (soluble), mean ± SD

714.2 ± 1055.3

384.2 ± 685.0

111.7 ± 47.4

480.9 ± 588.0

K-W test, p = 0.48

Aβ₄₀ concentration (insoluble), mean ± SD

1929.7 ± 3983.7

340.2 ± 672.2

42.7 ± 68.6

805.4 ± 2294.6

K-W test, p = 0.25

Aβ₄₂ concentration (soluble), mean ± SD

2.5 ± 2.5

3.7 ± 3.1

1.8 ± 2.5

4.7 ± 2.9

K-W test, p = 0.10

Aβ₄₂ concentration (insoluble), mean ± SD

1021.8 ± 1045.4

1312.4 ± 1445.6

749.1 ± 918.2

2523.2 ± 1609.9^*

K-W test, p = 0.023

Neurofibrillary tangle counts, mean ± SD

0.5 ± 0.7

2.1 ± 4.8

1.5 ± 1.9

8.6 ± 15.0

K-W test, p = 0.29

Total tau content (soluble), mean ± SD

1.0 ± 0.2

1.1 ± 0.1

1.1 ± 0.3

0.9 ± 0.2

K-W test, p = 0.19

Total tau content (insoluble), mean ± SD

0.6 ± 0.2

1.1 ± 0.7

0.5 ± 0.1

1.5 ± 0.9^{**, †}

K-W test, p = 0.0024

Total phospho-tau content (soluble), mean ± SD

0.0 ± 0.0

0.1 ± 0.2

0.2 ± 0.2

0.3 ± 0.4^*

K-W test, p = 0.028

Total phospho-tau content (insoluble), mean ± SD

0.3 ± 0.2

0.9 ± 1.2

0.2 ± 0.2

2.1 ± 2.6 ^*

K-W test, p = 0.029

CERAD score 4/3/2/1 (n)

3/3/5/1

3/0/3/2

3/0/1/0

0/1/3/8

n/a

Braak score I/II/III/IV/V (n)

2/0/6/4/0

0/0/3/4/1

0/0/2/2/0

0/0/5/1/6

n/a

Reagan score 3/2/1 (n)

7/5/0

3/4/1

3/1/0

1/5/6

n/a

Hippocampal atrophy score, mean ± SD

2.1 ± 1.7

2.4 ± 1.3

2.7 ± 2.3

2.7 ± 1.5

K-W test, p = 0.81

Full length (43kda) of TDP-43 content (TBS-soluble), mean ± SD

0.3 ± 0.2

0.2 ± 0.2

1.2 ± 0.7^#

0.3 ± 0.3

K-W test, p = 0.043

Total p65 content (TBS-soluble), mean ± SD

0.4 ± 0.3

0.3 ± 0.3

1.0 ± 0.3^##

0.4 ± 0.2

K-W test, p = 0.016

Presence of phospho-p65 content (TBS-soluble),%

0.0

12.5

75.0

8.3

chi square test, χ 2 = 14.75; p = 0.0020