Unlabelled

The accurate measurement of β-amyloid (Aβ) change using amyloid PET imaging is important for Alzheimer disease research and clinical trials but poses several unique challenges. In particular, reference region measurement instability may lead to spurious changes in cortical regions of interest. To optimize our ability to measure (18)F-florbetapir longitudinal change, we evaluated several candidate regions of interest and their influence on cortical florbetapir change over a 2-y period in participants from the Alzheimer Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI).

Methods

We examined the agreement in cortical florbetapir change detected using 6 candidate reference regions (cerebellar gray matter, whole cerebellum, brain stem/pons, eroded subcortical white matter [WM], and 2 additional combinations of these regions) in 520 ADNI subjects. We used concurrent cerebrospinal fluid Aβ1-42 measurements to identify subgroups of ADNI subjects expected to remain stable over follow-up (stable Aβ group; n = 14) and subjects expected to increase (increasing Aβ group; n = 91). We then evaluated reference regions according to whether cortical change was minimal in the stable Aβ group and cortical retention increased in the increasing Aβ group.

Results

There was poor agreement across reference regions in the amount of cortical change observed across all 520 ADNI subjects. Within the stable Aβ group, however, cortical florbetapir change was 1%-2% across all reference regions, indicating high consistency. In the increasing Aβ group, cortical increases were significant with all reference regions. Reference regions containing WM (as opposed to cerebellum or pons) enabled detection of cortical change that was more physiologically plausible and more likely to increase over time.

Conclusion

Reference region selection has an important influence on the detection of florbetapir change. Compared with cerebellum or pons alone, reference regions that included subcortical WM resulted in change measurements that are more accurate. In addition, because use of WM-containing reference regions involves dividing out cortical signal contained in the reference region (via partial-volume effects), use of these WM-containing regions may result in more conservative estimates of actual change. Future analyses using different tracers, tracer-kinetic models, pipelines, and comparisons with other biomarkers will further optimize our ability to accurately measure Aβ changes over time.

See Vandenberghe and Schaeverbeke (doi:10.1093/awx065) for a scientific commentary on this article. A long-term goal of our field is to determine the sequence of pathological events, which ultimately lead to cognitive decline and dementia. In this study, we first assessed the patterns of brain tau tangle accumulation (measured with the positron emission tomography tracer 18F-AV-1451) associated with well-established Alzheimer's disease factors in a cohort including cognitively healthy elderly individuals and individuals at early symptomatic stages of Alzheimer's disease. We then explored highly associated patterns of greater 18F-AV-1451 binding and increased annualized change in cortical amyloid-β plaques measured as florbetapir positron emission tomography binding antecedent to 18F-AV-1451 positron emission tomography scans, and to what extent these multimodal pattern associations explained the variance in cognitive performance and clinical outcome measures, independently and jointly. We found that: (i) 18F-AV-1451 positron emission tomography retention was differentially associated with age, and cross-sectional florbetapir positron emission tomography retention, but not with years of education, gender, or APOE genotype; (ii) increased annualized change in florbetapir retention, antecedent to 18F-AV-1451 positron emission tomography scans, in the parieto-temporal and precuneus brain regions was associated with greater 18F-AV-1451 PET retention most prominently in the inferior temporal and inferior parietal regions in the full cohort, with florbetapir positive/negative-associated variability; and (iii) this 18F-AV-1451 positron emission tomography retention pattern significantly explained the variance in cognitive performance and clinical outcome measures, independent of the associated antecedent increased annualized change in florbetapir positron emission tomography retention. These findings are in agreement with the pathology literature, which suggests that tau tangles but not amyloid-β plaques correlate with cognition and clinical symptoms. Furthermore, non-local associations linking increased amyloid-β accumulation rates with increased tau deposition are of great interest and support the idea that the amyloid-β pathology might have remote effects in disease pathology spread potentially via the brain's intrinsic connectivity networks.

Objective

We examined agreement and disagreement between 2 biomarkers of β-amyloid (Aβ) deposition (amyloid positron emission tomography [PET] and cerebrospinal fluid [CSF] Aβ1-42 ) in normal aging and dementia in a large multicenter study.

Methods

Concurrently acquired florbetapir PET and CSF Aβ were measured in cognitively normal, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer's disease participants (n = 374) from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. We also compared Aβ measurements in a separate group with serial CSF measurements over 3.1 ± 0.8 years that preceded a single florbetapir session. Additional biomarker and cognitive data allowed us to further examine profiles of discordant cases.

Results

Florbetapir and CSF Aβ were inversely correlated across all diagnostic groups, and dichotomous measurements were in agreement in 86% of subjects. Among subjects showing the most disagreement, the 2 discordant groups had different profiles: the florbetapir(+) /CSF Aβ(-) group was larger (n = 13) and was made up of only normal and early MCI subjects, whereas the florbetapir(-) /CSF Aβ(+) group was smaller (n = 7) and had poorer cognitive function and higher CSF tau, but no ApoE4 carriers. In the longitudinal sample, we observed both stable longitudinal CSF Aβ trajectories and those actively transitioning from normal to abnormal, but the final CSF Aβ measurements were in good agreement with florbetapir cortical retention.

Interpretation

CSF and amyloid PET measurements of Aβ were consistent in the majority of subjects in the cross-sectional and longitudinal populations. Based on our analysis of discordant subjects, the available evidence did not show that CSF Aβ regularly becomes abnormal prior to fibrillar Aβ accumulation early in the course of disease.

Objective

Using data from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) population, we examined (1) cross-sectional relationships between amyloid deposition, hypometabolism, and cognition, and (2) associations between amyloid and hypometabolism measurements and longitudinal cognitive measurements.

Methods

We examined associations between mean cortical florbetapir uptake, mean (18) F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) within a set of predefined regions, and Alzhiemer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-cog) performance in 426 ADNI participants (126 normal, 162 early mild cognitive impairment [EMCI], 85 late MCI [LMCI], 53 Alzheimer disease [AD] patients). For a subset of these (76 normal, 81 LMCI) we determined whether florbetapir and FDG-PET were associated with retrospective decline in longitudinal ADAS-cog measurements.

Results

Twenty-nine percent of normal subjects, 43% of EMCI patients, 62% of LMCI patients, and 77% of AD patients were categorized as florbetapir positive. Florbetapir was negatively associated with concurrent FDG and ADAS-cog in both MCI groups. In longitudinal analyses, florbetapir-positive subjects in both normal and LMCI groups had greater ongoing ADAS-cog decline than those who were florbetapir negative. However, in normal subjects, florbetapir positivity was associated with greater ADAS-cog decline than FDG, whereas in LMCI, FDG positivity was associated with greater decline than florbetapir.

Interpretation

Although both hypometabolism and β-amyloid (Aβ) deposition are detectable in normal subjects and all diagnostic groups, Aβ showed greater associations with cognitive decline in normal participants. In view of the minimal cognitive deterioration overall in this group, this suggests that amyloid deposition has an early and subclinical impact on cognition that precedes metabolic changes. At moderate and later stages of disease (LMCI/AD), hypometabolism becomes more pronounced and more closely linked to ongoing cognitive decline.

Although amyloid imaging with PiB-PET ([C-11]Pittsburgh Compound-B positron emission tomography), and now with F-18-labeled tracers, has produced remarkably consistent qualitative findings across a large number of centers, there has been considerable variability in the exact numbers reported as quantitative outcome measures of tracer retention. In some cases this is as trivial as the choice of units, in some cases it is scanner dependent, and of course, different tracers yield different numbers. Our working group was formed to standardize quantitative amyloid imaging measures by scaling the outcome of each particular analysis method or tracer to a 0 to 100 scale, anchored by young controls (≤ 45 years) and typical Alzheimer's disease patients. The units of this scale have been named "Centiloids." Basically, we describe a "standard" method of analyzing PiB PET data and then a method for scaling any "nonstandard" method of PiB PET analysis (or any other tracer) to the Centiloid scale.

Neuropathologic heterogeneity is often present among Alzheimer disease (AD) patients. We sought to determine whether amyloid imaging measures of AD are affected by concurrent pathologies. Thirty-eight clinically and pathologically defined AD and 17 nondemented patients with quantitative florbetapir F-18 (F-AV-45) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging during life and postmortem histological β-amyloid quantification and neuropathologic examination were assessed. AD patients were divided on the basis of concurrent pathologies, including those with Lewy bodies (LBs) (n = 21), white matter rarefaction (n = 27), severe cerebral amyloid angiopathy (n = 11), argyrophilic grains (n = 5), and TAR DNA binding protein-43 inclusions (n = 18). Many patients exhibited more than 1 type of concurrent pathology. The ratio of cortical to cerebellar amyloid imaging signal (SUVr) and immunohistochemical β-amyloid load were analyzed in 6 cortical regions of interest. All AD subgroups had strong and significant correlations between SUVr and histological β-amyloid measures (p μ 0.001). All AD subgroups had significantly greater amyloid measures versus nondemented patients, and mean amyloid measures did not significantly differ between AD subgroups. When comparing AD cases with and without each pathology, AD cases with LBs had significantly lower SUVr measures versus AD cases without LBs (p = 0.002); there were no other paired comparison differences. These findings indicate that florbetapir-PET imaging is not confounded by neuropathological heterogeneity within AD.

Importance

Early identification of Alzheimer disease (AD) is important for clinical management and affords the opportunity to assess potential disease-modifying agents in clinical trials. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a randomized trial to prospectively enrich a study population with prodromal AD (PDAD) defined by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker criteria and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) symptoms.

Objectives

To assess the safety of the γ-secretase inhibitor avagacestat in PDAD and to determine whether CSF biomarkers can identify this patient population prior to clinical diagnosis of dementia.

Design, setting, and participants

A randomized, placebo-controlled phase 2 clinical trial with a parallel, untreated, nonrandomized observational cohort of CSF biomarker-negative participants was conducted May 26, 2009, to July 9, 2013, in a multicenter global population. Of 1358 outpatients screened, 263 met MCI and CSF biomarker criteria for randomization into the treatment phase. One hundred two observational cohort participants who met MCI criteria but were CSF biomarker-negative were observed during the same study period to evaluate biomarker assay sensitivity.

Interventions

Oral avagacestat or placebo daily.

Main outcomes and measure

Safety and tolerability of avagacestat.

Results

Of the 263 participants in the treatment phase, 132 were randomized to avagacestat and 131 to placebo; an additional 102 participants were observed in an untreated observational cohort. Avagacestat was relatively well tolerated with low discontinuation rates (19.6%) at a dose of 50 mg/d, whereas the dose of 125 mg/d had higher discontinuation rates (43%), primarily attributable to gastrointestinal tract adverse events. Increases in nonmelanoma skin cancer and nonprogressive, reversible renal tubule effects were observed with avagacestat. Serious adverse event rates were higher with avagacestat (49 participants [37.1%]) vs placebo (31 [23.7%]), attributable to the higher incidence of nonmelanoma skin cancer. At 2 years, progression to dementia was more frequent in the PDAD cohort (30.7%) vs the observational cohort (6.5%). Brain atrophy rate in PDAD participants was approximately double that of the observational cohort. Concordance between abnormal amyloid burden on positron emission tomography and pathologic CSF was approximately 87% (κ = 0.68; 95% CI, 0.48-0.87). No significant treatment differences were observed in the avagacestat vs placebo arm in key clinical outcome measures.

Conclusions and relevance

Avagacestat did not demonstrate efficacy and was associated with adverse dose-limiting effects. This PDAD population receiving avagacestat or placebo had higher rates of clinical progression to dementia and greater brain atrophy compared with CSF biomarker-negative participants. The CSF biomarkers and amyloid positron emission tomography imaging were correlated, suggesting that either modality could be used to confirm the presence of cerebral amyloidopathy and identify PDAD.

Trial registration

clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00890890.

Background

Imaging biomarkers have the potential to distinguish between different brain pathologies based on the type of ligand used with PET. AV-45 PET (florbetapir, Amyvid™) is selective for the neuritic plaque amyloid of Alzheimer's disease (AD), while AV-133 PET (florbenazine) is selective for VMAT2, which is a dopaminergic marker.

Objective

To report the clinical, AV-133 PET, AV-45 PET, and neuropathological findings of three clinically diagnosed dementia patients who were part of the Avid Radiopharmaceuticals AV133-B03 study as well as the Arizona Study of Aging and Neurodegenerative Disorders (AZSAND).

Methods

Three subjects who had PET imaging with both AV-133 and AV-45 as well as a standardized neuropathological assessment were included. The final clinical, PET scan, and neuropathological diagnoses were compared.

Results

The clinical and neuropathological diagnoses were made blinded to PET scan results. The first subject had a clinical diagnosis of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB); AV-133 PET showed bilateral striatal dopaminergic degeneration, and AV-45 PET was positive for amyloid. The final clinicopathological diagnosis was DLB and AD. The second subject was diagnosed clinically with probable AD; AV-45 PET was positive for amyloid, while striatal AV-133 PET was normal. The final clinicopathological diagnosis was DLB and AD. The third subject had a clinical diagnosis of DLB. Her AV-45 PET was positive for amyloid and striatal AV-133 showed dopaminergic degeneration. The final clinicopathological diagnosis was multiple system atrophy and AD.

Conclusion

PET imaging using AV-133 for the assessment of striatal VMAT2 density may help distinguish between AD and DLB. However, some cases of DLB with less-pronounced nigrostriatal dopaminergic neuronal loss may be missed.

Objectives

Florbetapir F 18 PET can image amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregates in the brains of living subjects. We prospectively evaluated the prognostic utility of detecting Aβ pathology using florbetapir PET in subjects at risk for progressive cognitive decline.

Methods

A total of 151 subjects who previously participated in a multicenter florbetapir PET imaging study were recruited for longitudinal assessment. Subjects included 51 with recently diagnosed mild cognitive impairment (MCI), 69 cognitively normal controls (CN), and 31 with clinically diagnosed Alzheimer disease dementia (AD). PET images were visually scored as positive (Aβ+) or negative (Aβ-) for pathologic levels of β-amyloid aggregation, blind to diagnostic classification. Cerebral to cerebellar standardized uptake value ratios (SUVr) were determined from the baseline PET images. Subjects were followed for 18 months to evaluate changes in cognition and diagnostic status. Analysis of covariance and correlation analyses were conducted to evaluate the association between baseline PET amyloid status and subsequent cognitive decline.

Results

In both MCI and CN, baseline Aβ+ scans were associated with greater clinical worsening on the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog (p < 0.01) and Clinical Dementia Rating-sum of boxes (CDR-SB) (p < 0.02). In MCI Aβ+ scans were also associated with greater decline in memory, Digit Symbol Substitution (DSS), and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) (p < 0.05). In MCI, higher baseline SUVr similarly correlated with greater subsequent decline on the ADAS-Cog (p < 0.01), CDR-SB (p < 0.03), a memory measure, DSS, and MMSE (p < 0.05). Aβ+ MCI tended to convert to AD dementia at a higher rate than Aβ- subjects (p < 0.10).

Conclusions

Florbetapir PET may help identify individuals at increased risk for progressive cognitive decline.