Alzheimer's disease: Potential pathogenesis and imaging findings

• DOI: 10.1002/viw.20230025
• Publication Date: 2023-05-25T13:34:45Z
• Authors: Yan Zhang; Chenpeng Zhang; Jianjun Liu; Hongda Shao
• Keywords: Pittsburgh compound B; Amyloid (mycology)

Abstract Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disease. The histopathological changes in AD include amyloid β‐protein (Aβ) deposition, tau tangles, neuroinflammation, and neurodegeneration. Some of the pathological could be shown vivo by positron emission tomography (PET) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) biomarkers, which play key role diagnosing AD. Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG‐PET) can reflect predict dysfunction. Aβ‐PET sensitive for diagnosis early but cannot distinguish severity Tau‐PET compensate deficiency Aβ‐PET. Tau tangles are positively correlated with associated cognitive impairment. Probes targeting neuroinflammation have been developed, further study needed to validate their effectiveness. Conventional MRI performs high tissue contrast that show structural has routinely applied clinical practice, such as evaluation cerebral atrophy. Advanced sequences (such diffusion tensor imaging, arterial spin labeling, spectroscopy, blood oxygenation level dependent, quantitative susceptibility mapping) provide additional information beyond structure includes brain microstructure, perfusion, metabolite concentration, activity, connections networks between regions, iron etc. Integrated PET may improve diagnostic efficiency