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Ebenau JL, Visser D, Verfaillie SCJ, Timmers T, van Leeuwenstijn MSSA, Kate MT, Windhorst AD, Barkhof F, Scheltens P, Prins ND, Boellaard R, van der Flier WM, van Berckel BNM. Cerebral blood flow, amyloid burden, and cognition in cognitively normal individuals. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2023; 50:410-422. [PMID: 36071221 PMCID: PMC9816289 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-022-05958-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The role of cerebral blood flow (CBF) in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease is complex and largely unknown. We investigated cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between CBF, amyloid burden, and cognition, in cognitively normal individuals with subjective cognitive decline (SCD). METHODS We included 187 cognitively normal individuals with SCD from the SCIENCe project (65 ± 8 years, 39% F, MMSE 29 ± 1). Each underwent a dynamic (0-70 min) [18F]florbetapir PET and T1-weighted MRI scan, enabling calculation of mean binding potential (BPND; specific amyloid binding) and R1 (measure of relative (r)CBF). Eighty-three individuals underwent a second [18F]florbetapir PET (2.6 ± 0.7 years). Participants annually underwent neuropsychological assessment (follow-up time 3.8 ± 3.1 years; number of observations n = 774). RESULTS A low baseline R1 was associated with steeper decline on tests addressing memory, attention, and global cognition (range betas 0.01 to 0.27, p < 0.05). High BPND was associated with steeper decline on tests covering all domains (range betas - 0.004 to - 0.70, p < 0.05). When both predictors were simultaneously added to the model, associations remained essentially unchanged. Additionally, we found longitudinal associations between R1 and BPND. High baseline BPND predicted decline over time in R1 (all regions, range betasBP×time - 0.09 to - 0.14, p < 0.05). Vice versa, low baseline R1 predicted increase in BPND in frontal, temporal, and composite ROIs over time (range betasR1×time - 0.03 to - 0.08, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION Our results suggest that amyloid accumulation and decrease in rCBF are two parallel disease processes without a fixed order, both providing unique predictive information for cognitive decline and each process enhancing the other longitudinally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarith L Ebenau
- Alzheimer Centre, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, De Boelelaan 1118, 1081 HZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Denise Visser
- Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sander C J Verfaillie
- Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tessa Timmers
- Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mardou S S A van Leeuwenstijn
- Alzheimer Centre, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, De Boelelaan 1118, 1081 HZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mara Ten Kate
- Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Albert D Windhorst
- Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Frederik Barkhof
- Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- UCL Institutes of Neurology and Healthcare Engineering, London, UK
| | - Philip Scheltens
- Alzheimer Centre, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, De Boelelaan 1118, 1081 HZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Niels D Prins
- Alzheimer Centre, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, De Boelelaan 1118, 1081 HZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Brain Research Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ronald Boellaard
- Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Wiesje M van der Flier
- Alzheimer Centre, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, De Boelelaan 1118, 1081 HZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Epidemiology & Data Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bart N M van Berckel
- Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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