Relationship between F-18 florbetapir uptake in occipital lobe and neurocognitive performance in Alzheimer's disease

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the association between occipital amyloid-PET uptake and neurocognitive performance in Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Materials and methods: Fifty-eight participants with normal aged, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to AD and AD subjects who underwent F-18 florbetapir brain PET/CT scans were divided into four groups (A, normal; B, MCI; C, mild AD; and D, moderate/severe AD). Semiquantitative analyses of SUVR images were performed. The differences between groups and the correlations between florbetapir uptake and Thai Mental State Examination (TMSE) scores were determined. Significant differences were defined using a P < 0.001, uncorrected, or a P < 0.05, FWE for the voxel-based analyses with Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM).

Results: There was a slightly higher florbetapir uptake in the precuneus, parietal, and occipital association cortices in Group B > A. The occipital florbetapir uptake in Groups C and D was significantly higher than in Group A, in addition to the precuneus, anterior cingulate, posterior cingulate, temporoparietal, and frontal cortices. There was a strong negative correlation between TMSE scores and florbetapir uptake in the occipital lobe.

Conclusions: Occipital amyloid uptake is associated with clinically advanced AD, and is inversely correlated with neurocognitive performance and may be useful for evaluating AD severity.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; Amyloid PET; Florbetapir; Occipital.