Fecal Aβ and tau aggregates are elevated in cognitive impairment and reveal peripheral proteopathic alterations

Background

Aggregation of amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau is central to Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis and forms the basis of established cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and imaging biomarkers. However, increasing evidence suggests that AD involves systemic processes beyond the central nervous system. We previously demonstrated the presence of fecal Aβ aggregates. Here, we assessed the detectability of tau aggregates in human feces and examined the diagnostic value of combined fecal Aβ and tau quantification in cognitive impairment.