Brain Imaging (MRI/PET) and Measurements of Proteins in Spinal Fluid May Improve Alzheimer's Prediction and...(measured by AVLT total recall were the m...),Health

Date:7/14/2009

measured by AVLT total recall, were the most predictive of conversion from MCI to Alzheimer's," Landau said. "People who did poorly on those two measurements - that is, low glucose metabolism combined with poor memory performance - were 15 times more likely to convert to Alzheimer's compared to individuals who were normal on those measurements."

"When the measurements are considered individually, p-tau (a CSF protein) and hippocampal volume also significantly predict conversion from MCI to Alzheimer's. Specifically, MCI patients in our study who were low on these measures had a 2 to 4 times higher risk of progressing to Alzheimer's," Landau added.

Additionally, all measurements (ApoE4 status, hippocampal volume, FDG-PET, CSF biomarkers, and memory recall ability) played a role in predicting cognitive decline, regardless of whether the patients converted to Alzheimer's or not. P-tau181 had the strongest value in predicting subsequent cognitive decline.

According to the researchers, the selection of a biomarker, or set of biomarkers, will be critical in research to select participants who are most likely to experience Alzheimer's over time, and enable these individuals to participate meaningfully in clinical studies, such as those for Alzheimer's drug treatments.

PET Measurements of the Hippocampus May Improve Alzheimer's Diagnosis

According to Dawn Matthews, Chief Executive Officer and President of Abiant, Inc., and colleagues at New York University School of Medicine, declines in regional cerebral glucose metabolism (rCMglc) in the brain as measured with Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging have been demonstrated to correlate to the progression of Alzheimer's, and to differentiate between dementias. Recent studies have shown that the accuracy of Alzheimer's diagnosis may be improved by including measurement of rCMglc in the hippocam
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SOURCE Alzheimer's Association Copyright©2009 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

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