Elevated Magnetic Susceptibility Suggests Distinct Neurodegenerative Pathology in World Trade Center First Responders

Mounting evidence has shown that first responders to the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center(WTC) are developing early-onset dementia but the underlying pathology driving this remains to be understood. Our team assessed the relationship between cognitive impairment and susceptibility differences in the brains of responders for the first time using quantitative susceptibility mapping(QSM). While research on Alzheimer’s disease has reported changes in QSM across several regions, we found elevated susceptibility located in the amygdala of responders with CI. Our findings bolster evidence suggesting that WTC responders are experiencing unique pathology which could point to a novel neurodegenerative disease.