Thalamic nuclei insights into Alzheimer's disease

Vidal, J. P.; Myall, D.; Pariente, J.; Pitcher, T.; Roberts, R. P.; Cawston, E.; Leheron, C.; Anderson, T.; Morgan, C.; Melzer, T.; Kirk, I.; Tippett, L.; Peran, P.; Dalrymple-alford, J.

doi:10.64898/2026.05.26.728015

bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.05.26.728015

Thalamic nuclei insights into Alzheimer's disease

Vidal, J. P.·Myall, D.·Pariente, J.·Pitcher, T.·Roberts, R. P.·Cawston, E.·Leheron, C.·Anderson, T.·Morgan, C.·Melzer, T.·Kirk, I.·Tippett, L.·Peran, P.·Dalrymple-alford, J.

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Abstract

INTRODUCTIONThalamic nuclei support multiple cognitive processes, yet their integrity in biologically-defined Alzheimers disease (AD) remains unknown. METHODAmyloid status was determined using PET Centiloids >24 in 1,327 participants from ADNI. Combined with clinical diagnosis, this yielded six groups: amyloid-negative or positive CN-MCI-dementia/AD. Thalamic nuclei volumes were extracted from T1-weighted MRI using the HIPS-THOMAS algorithm. RESULTSLarge volume reductions in the anteroventral, mediodorsal, and pulvinar nuclei were observed in amyloid-positive MCI and AD. Reduced volumes were also evident in amyloid-positive CN, supporting preclinical AD. Adding the anteroventral nucleus improved cognitive status classification in Random Forest analyses. A phenotypic model integrating thalamic nuclei clearly distinguished amyloid-positive groups from amyloid-negative CN and reclassified non-AD patients with 68% of amyloid-negative MCI subjects as CN-like, and 27% of amyloid-positive CN as MCI-like. DISCUSSIONThalamic volumetry from conventional T1-weighted MRI enhances clinical insight into AD and provides a practical biomarker for disease intervention.

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Vidal, J. P., Myall, D., Pariente, J., Pitcher, T., Roberts, R. P., Cawston, E., Leheron, C., Anderson, T., Morgan, C., Melzer, T., Kirk, I., Tippett, L., Peran, P., Dalrymple-alford, J.. 2026-05-28. Thalamic nuclei insights into Alzheimer's disease. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.05.26.728015

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