Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina have developed a new way to detect early Alzheimer’s disease (AD) using individualized functional connectomes. The technique creates a unique brain fingerprint for each individual that could enable earlier detection and more accurate diagnosis of preclinical AD. In preclinical AD, the balance of connectivity within and between brain networks can be disrupted due to the presence of amyloid build-up, potentially leading to inefficient information processing. The study suggests that changes in connectivity within and between specific brain networks may indicate early problems with information processing, which could be a good target for therapies to improve outcomes for AD patients. With renewed grant funding, the researchers plan to continue their work on preclinical AD by exploring new treatments, such as brain stimulation, which may help to slow the progression of the disease. This area of work is important for understanding the full spectrum of the disease and identifying who might be at risk of developing it.
Uncovering Early Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease Using Individualized Brain Maps
Researchers from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) have identified subtle differences in brain function among older adults with preclinical Alzheimer’s disease (AD) using a novel brain imaging analysis technique. This breakthrough could enable earlier detection and more accurate diagnosis of the disease.
Preclinical AD is characterized by the buildup of amyloid-beta proteins in the brain, but individuals show no noticeable symptoms of cognitive decline. To study this phase of AD, the researchers constructed individualized maps of brain function using a new form of brain mapping. They then looked for links between subtle changes in brain function and declining cognitive performance, as assessed through behavior-based tests.
Prior studies have not found an association between brain function and behavior in preclinical AD. However, using these individualized maps, the researchers found a potential brain-based reason for very subtle cognitive changes in the early phase of the disease.
“Using these individualized maps of brain function, we found a potential brain-based reason for very subtle cognitive changes in this early phase of the disease,” said Dr. Andreana Benitez, who led the study alongside Dr. Stephanie Fountain-Zaragoza.
The ability to detect subtle changes in brain function using this technique could improve the study of preclinical AD. Furthermore, research into the preclinical phase of AD could help us to better understand how the disease begins and progresses.
The research was funded through a pilot project from the South Carolina Clinical & Translational Research Institute. The team used a new form of brain mapping to detect these subtle effects, which could enable earlier detection and more accurate diagnosis of the disease.
In summary, MUSC researchers have developed a novel brain imaging analysis technique that can visualize subtle differences in brain function among older adults with preclinical Alzheimer’s disease. This technique could enable earlier detection and more accurate diagnosis of the disease. By constructing individualized maps of brain function and analyzing links between subtle changes in brain function and cognitive performance, the researchers found a potential brain-based reason for very subtle cognitive changes in the early phase of the disease. This breakthrough could improve the study of preclinical AD and help us to better understand how the disease begins and progresses.
Understanding Brain Function Changes in Preclinical Alzheimer’s Disease Through Individualized Brain Fingerprinting
Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina have discovered a novel way to visualize subtle changes in brain function in older adults with preclinical Alzheimer’s disease. This breakthrough could allow for earlier detection and more accurate diagnosis of the disease.
The researchers used a functional connectome, a type of brain map that measures how different brain regions communicate with one another, to study brain activity. To detect early Alzheimer’s-related changes in brain function and cognition, the researchers created individualized functional networks by mapping a population-level atlas to each participant’s brain.
This individualized functional connectome technique was developed by Hesheng Liu, Ph.D., and is highly sensitive and specific. Traditional functional connectomes use an average of many people’s brains as a map for functional brain regions. In contrast, Liu’s method creates an individualized brain fingerprint that more accurately reflects where the different functional regions are in each individual’s brain.
The researchers used this brain fingerprinting technique to look for subtle changes in brain function in 149 participants aged 45 to 85 without signs of cognitive decline. All participants underwent PET scans of their brains and were divided into two groups – those with and without PET scan evidence of early amyloid-beta protein buildup. The participants also underwent MRI scans, which were used to generate the brain fingerprints.
“We all have the same functional parts of our brain, but they’re positioned slightly differently, sort of like a fingerprint,” said Dr. Stephanie Fountain-Zaragoza.
The researchers then tested how well the participants in each group performed on behavior-based tests of information processing. They found that certain changes in the brain fingerprint were associated with worse information processing in participants with amyloid-beta buildup, or preclinical AD.
In participants with preclinical AD, information processing was worse in those with greater than usual between-network connectivity, or too much activity on the brain’s highways. In contrast, information processing was better in those with higher within-network connectivity, or more brain activity within important neighborhoods of the brain.
The researchers believe that this technique could enable earlier detection and more accurate diagnosis of preclinical AD. By constructing individualized maps of brain function and analyzing links between subtle changes in brain function and cognitive performance, the researchers found a potential brain-based reason for very subtle cognitive changes in the early phase of the disease.
This breakthrough could improve the study of preclinical AD and help us to better understand how the disease begins and progresses. By using the individualized functional connectome, researchers can now create a unique brain fingerprint for each individual and better detect subtle changes in brain function associated with preclinical AD.
Individualized Functional Connectomes for Early Detection of Alzheimer’s Disease
Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina have discovered a new way to detect early Alzheimer’s disease (AD) using individualized functional connectomes. This technique can detect subtle variations in brain function that may be missed with other conventional brain imaging analysis techniques.
According to Dr. Stephanie Fountain-Zaragoza, a healthy brain typically has a balance of connectivity within and between its networks. However, in preclinical AD, the balance can be disrupted due to the presence of amyloid build-up in the brain, potentially leading to inefficient information processing.
The study suggests that changes in connectivity within and between specific brain networks may indicate early problems with information processing. This imbalance in connectivity could be a good target for therapies to improve outcomes for AD patients.
The individualized functional connectome technique creates a unique brain fingerprint for each individual, which could enable earlier detection and more accurate diagnosis of preclinical AD. The researchers hope to continue their work on preclinical AD by exploring new treatments, such as brain stimulation, which may help to slow the progression of the disease.
This area of work is important for understanding the full spectrum of the disease and identifying who might be at risk of developing it. With renewed grant funding from the National Institute on Aging, the researchers plan to focus on the extent to which brain changes affect disease progression.
The study, “Functional Network Alterations Associated with Cognition in Pre-Clinical Alzheimer’s Disease,” was published in the journal Brain Connectivity on March 17, 2023. It was funded by the NIH/National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) and NIH/National Institute on Aging.
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