Fig. 6

Histopathologically-validated locus coeruleus tau severity maps. a–k Heatmaps in ex vivo MRI reconstructions based on average tau severity grades in respective samples #2, 11, 15, 20, 3, 13, 18, 21, 4, 5, and 9. Age and sex are shown at bottom for each sample. l Average (n = 14) tau severity at each sublevel (rostral LC mean ± s.d. = 2.51 ± 0.81; middle = 2.79 ± 0.84; caudal = 2.67 ± 0.69) from preclinical (BB 0-II) histopathology samples. Note the darker hue in the middle third of LC indicating more severe tau burden. m–p Tau (CP13 +) histopathology stains demonstrate LC tau severity grades 1–4 at middle LC in samples #3, 11, 4, and 21. a–k Scale bar = 2 mm. m–p Scale bars = 100 μm