Maternal dementia age at onset in relation to amyloid burden in non-demented elderly offspring.

Family history (FH) of dementia is a major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, particularly when the FH is maternal and when the age of dementia onset (AO) is younger. This study tested whether brain amyloid-beta deposition, measured in vivo with (11)C-Pittsburgh compound B (PiB), was associated with parental dementia and/or younger parental AO. Detailed FH and positron emission tomography (PiB) data were acquired in 147 nondemented aging individuals (mean age 75 ± 8).

Cognitive activity relates to cognitive performance but not to Alzheimer disease biomarkers.

Objective: We aimed to determine whether there was a relationship between lifestyle factors and Alzheimer disease biomarkers.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, we evaluated self-reported histories of recent and past cognitive activity, self-reported history of recent physical activity, and objective recent walking activity in 186 clinically normal individuals with mean age of 74 ± 6 years. Using backward elimination general linear models, we tested the hypotheses that greater cognitive or physical activity would be associated with lower Pittsburgh compound B-PET retention, greater (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose-PET metabolism, and larger hippocampal volume, as well as better cognitive performance on neuropsychological testing.

Apathy is associated with increased amyloid burden in mild cognitive impairment.

Apathy is the most common neuropsychiatric symptom in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia. The authors sought to determine whether apathy is associated with cortical amyloid burden, as measured by Pittsburgh Compound B (PiB) positron emission tomography (PET), and regional hypometabolism, measured by 18F-fluorodeoxyglocuse (FDG) PET in MCI. The authors found a significant association between increased apathy (lower Apathy Evaluation Scale score) and greater cortical PiB retention independent of age, but no significant association between apathy and regional FDG metabolism.

Florbetapir (F18-AV-45) PET to assess amyloid burden in Alzheimer's disease dementia, mild cognitive impairment, and normal aging.

Objective: To evaluate the performance characteristics of florbetapir F18 positron emission tomography (PET) in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and healthy control subjects (HCs).

Methods: Florbetapir PET was acquired in 184 subjects (45 AD patients, 60 MCI patients, and 79 HCs) within a multicenter phase 2 study. Amyloid burden was assessed visually and quantitatively, and was classified as positive or negative.