Cerebral amyloid angiopathy exhibited a higher cerebral tau burden in the inferior temporal lobe [1.25 (1.17–1.42) versus 1.08 (1.05–1.22), P < 0.001] and all Braak stage regions of interest (P < 0.05) than hypertensive small vessel disease, although the differences were attenuated after age adjustment. This evidence concerns the gene MAPT and cerebral amyloid angiopathy.