Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7fkt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T07:50:23.383Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

What Does Imaging Add to the Management of Alzheimer's Disease?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 November 2014

Gary W. Small
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia continues to rise. However, a significant number of patients are undiagnosed or untreated. Given the complexities of detecting cognitive impairment and the early signs of AD, this review discusses how advances in brain imaging can help assist in improving overall management. Imaging techniques and surrogate markers may provide unique opportunities to diagnose accurately AD in presymptomatic stages with practical consequences for patients, caregivers, and physicians. The possible outcomes for using imaging and surrogate markers as adjuncts to clinical examination and as screening tools for AD, as well as tangible and intangible advantages to early diagnosis and treatment, will be discussed. The specific value of using advanced serial imaging in patients with a genetic disposition to AD will be evaluated. If neurons can be protected from neurodegenerative damage in early stages, this may preserve patient cognition, function, and quality of life, and may confer considerable societal healthcare benefits.

Type
Academic Supplement
Information
CNS Spectrums , Volume 9 , Issue S5: Assessing Current Practice in Alzheimer's Disease , July 2004 , pp. 20 - 23
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2004

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1.Knopman, DS, DeKosky, ST, Cummings, JL, et al.Practice parameter: diagnosis of dementia (an evidence-based review). Report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Neurology. 2001;56:1143–1153.Google Scholar
2.Bookheimer, SY, Strojwas, MH, Cohen, MS, et al.Patterns of brain activation in people at risk for Alzheimer's disease. N Engl J Med. 2000;343:450–456.Google Scholar
3.Silverman, DH, Small, GW, Chang, CY, et al.Positron emission tomography in evaluation of dementia: Regional brain metabolism and long-term outcome. JAMA. 2001;286:2120–2127.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.Lim, A, Tsuang, D, Kukull, W, et al.Clinico-neuropathological correlation of Alzheimer's disease in a community-based case series. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1999:47:564–569.Google Scholar
5.Small, GW, Ercoli, LM, Silverman, DH, et al.Cerebral metabolic and cognitive decline in persons at genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease. Proc Nad Acad Sri U S A. 2000;97:6037–6042.Google Scholar
6.Small, GW. The Memory Bible. New York, NY: Hyperion. 2002.Google Scholar
7.Shoghi-Jadid, K, Small, GW, Agdeppa, ED, et al.Localization of neurofibrillary tangles and beta-amyloid plaques in the brains of living patients with Alzheimer disease. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2002;10:24–35.Google Scholar