The NBM is well known for its key role in cognitive functioning and its deterioration is linked to cognitive impairment in AD.1 It is important to determine the pathologic processes contributing toward degeneration of the cholinergic system as it has previously been demonstrated to be associated with cognitive impairment in advanced aging.4 In this sample of cognitively unimpaired aged individuals, we demonstrated that WMLs were the most important contributor toward the degeneration of the studied cholinergic pathways, followed by CSF Aβ38 and p-tau levels. Here, MAPT is linked to Alzheimer disease.