Neuropathologic basis of quantitative susceptibility mapping in the substantia nigra: contributions of tau, pigmented neurons, and iron - Summary - MDSpire

Neuropathologic basis of quantitative susceptibility mapping in the substantia nigra: contributions of tau, pigmented neurons, and iron

  • By

  • Daisuke Ono

  • Sravya Kondrakunta

  • Elijah Mak

  • Scott A. Przybelski

  • Angela J. Fought

  • Christopher G. Schwarz

  • Melissa E. Murray

  • Aivi Nguyen

  • Ross R. Reichard

  • Matthew L. Senjem

  • Jeffrey L. Gunter

  • Clifford R. Jack

  • Toji Miyagawa

  • Leah K. Forsberg

  • Julie A. Fields

  • Rodolfo Savica

  • Vijay K. Ramanan

  • David T. Jones

  • Hugo Botha

  • Erik K. St. Louis

  • David S. Knopman

  • Neill R. Graff-Radford

  • Gregory S. Day

  • Tanis J. Ferman

  • Walter K. Kremers

  • Val J. Lowe

  • Ronald C. Petersen

  • Bradley F. Boeve

  • Dennis W. Dickson

  • Kejal Kantarci

  • February 18, 2026

  • 0 min

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Objective:

To elucidate the neuropathologic determinants of antemortem QSM in the substantia nigra and their independent contributions to magnetic susceptibility, highlighting the clinical significance of these findings.

Key Findings:
  • Elevated QSM values correlate with iron accumulation in the substantia nigra in patients with Lewy body disease, suggesting a potential diagnostic utility.
  • Tau burden and glial cell density contribute to tissue magnetic susceptibility in the substantia nigra, indicating complex interactions in neurodegenerative pathology.
  • QSM interpretation is complex due to overlapping pathologies in neurodegenerative diseases, necessitating careful consideration in clinical settings.
Interpretation:

QSM may serve as a diagnostic biomarker for Lewy body disease, but its interpretation is complicated by the presence of tauopathies and other factors influencing iron deposition, underscoring the need for comprehensive evaluations.

Limitations:
  • Independent contributors to tissue magnetic susceptibility were not fully clarified due to the lack of direct measurement of tissue iron deposition in some studies, which may introduce bias.
  • The study's cohort size may limit the generalizability of findings, suggesting the need for larger, more diverse populations in future research.
Conclusion:

The study highlights the potential of QSM as a biomarker in neurodegenerative diseases, emphasizing the need for comprehensive evaluations of neuropathologic measures and future research to validate these findings.

Original Source(s)

Neuropathologic basis of quantitative susceptibility mapping in the substantia nigra: contributions of tau, pigmented neurons, and iron

  • by Daisuke Ono, Sravya Kondrakunta, Elijah Mak, Scott A. Przybelski, Angela J. Fought, Christopher G. Schwarz, Melissa E. Murray, Aivi Nguyen, Ross R. Reichard, Matthew L. Senjem, Jeffrey L. Gunter, Clifford R. Jack, Toji Miyagawa, Leah K. Forsberg, Julie A. Fields, Rodolfo Savica, Vijay K. Ramanan, David T. Jones, Hugo Botha, Erik K. St. Louis, David S. Knopman, Neill R. Graff-Radford, Gregory S. Day, Tanis J. Ferman, Walter K. Kremers, Val J. Lowe, Ronald C. Petersen, Bradley F. Boeve, Dennis W. Dickson, Kejal Kantarci

  • February 18, 2026

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