Associations between cognitive, functional, and FDG-PET measures of decline in AD and MCI

Neurobiol Aging. 2011 Jul;32(7):1207-18. doi: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2009.07.002. Epub 2009 Aug 5.

Abstract

The Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ) and Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog) are frequently used indices of cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The goal of this study was to compare FDG-PET and clinical measurements in a large sample of elderly subjects with memory disturbance. We examined relationships between glucose metabolism in FDG-PET regions of interest (FDG-ROIs), and ADAS-cog and FAQ scores in AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients enrolled in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). Low glucose metabolism at baseline predicted subsequent ADAS-cog and FAQ decline. In addition, longitudinal glucose metabolism decline was associated with concurrent ADAS-cog and FAQ decline. Finally, a power analysis revealed that FDG-ROI values have greater statistical power than ADAS-cog to detect attenuation of cognitive decline in AD and MCI patients. Glucose metabolism is a sensitive measure of change in cognition and functional ability in AD and MCI, and has value in predicting future cognitive decline.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Alzheimer Disease / diagnostic imaging
  • Alzheimer Disease / physiopathology*
  • Alzheimer Disease / psychology*
  • Blood Glucose / metabolism
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / diagnostic imaging
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / physiopathology*
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / psychology*
  • Disability Evaluation
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neuropsychological Tests / standards
  • Positron-Emission Tomography / methods*
  • Positron-Emission Tomography / standards
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Severity of Illness Index

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18