Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 15, 2026

Positron Emission Tomography Imaging for In Vivo Measuring of Myelin Content in the Lysolecithin Rat Model of Multiple Sclerosis
08:40

Positron Emission Tomography Imaging for In Vivo Measuring of Myelin Content in the Lysolecithin Rat Model of Multiple Sclerosis

Published on: February 28, 2021

PET amyloid ligand [11C]PIB uptake is increased in mild cognitive impairment

N M Kemppainen1, S Aalto, I A Wilson

  • 1Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.

Neurology
|May 9, 2007
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) show increased brain amyloid plaque buildup, similar to Alzheimer's disease (AD). This suggests MCI may indicate an early stage of AD, detectable with [(11)C]PIB PET scans.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroimaging
  • Neurology
  • Molecular Imaging

Background:

  • Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) significantly increases the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD).
  • Elevated brain amyloid burden is a hallmark of AD, detectable in vivo using PET imaging with tracers like [(11)C]PIB.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate amyloid burden in amnestic MCI patients using [(11)C]PIB PET.
  • To determine if increased [(11)C]PIB uptake in MCI indicates an early AD pathological process.

Main Methods:

  • PET imaging with [(11)C]PIB tracer was performed on 13 amnestic MCI patients and 14 controls.
  • Statistical parametric mapping (SPM) and automated region-of-interest (ROI) analysis were used to compare tracer uptake between groups.

Main Results:

  • MCI patients exhibited significantly higher [(11)C]PIB uptake in frontal, parietal, temporal cortices, and posterior cingulate compared to controls.
  • ROI analysis revealed increased uptake in MCI patients across multiple brain regions, including the frontal cortex (39%) and posterior cingulate (39%).
  • Approximately half of MCI patients displayed [(11)C]PIB uptake in the AD range, with APOE ε4 carriers showing a trend towards higher uptake.

Conclusions:

  • Elevated [(11)C]PIB uptake in MCI patients at a group level mirrors that observed in AD.
  • Individual [(11)C]PIB uptake in about half of MCI patients suggests an early AD pathological process.
  • [(11)C]PIB PET imaging shows potential for detecting early AD pathology in MCI.

Related Concept Videos

Alzheimer Disease ll: Pathophysiology01:23

Alzheimer Disease ll: Pathophysiology

Alzheimer disease involves structural changes in the brain that begin long before symptoms appear. The most distinctive features are extracellular neuritic plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles.Neuritic plaques form in the cerebral cortex and around blood vessels. These plaques contain a dense core of beta-amyloid (Aβ)—a toxic protein fragment that clumps outside neurons. The core is surrounded by damaged neuronal extensions, as well as reactive astrocytes and microglia. Abnormal...
Alzheimer's Disease: Overview01:26

Alzheimer's Disease: Overview

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a continually advancing neurodegenerative disorder, distinguished by escalating memory loss, cognitive dysfunction, and dementia. The disease unfolds in three stages: preclinical, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia. Its onset is insidious, and the progression gradual, with the cause not well explained by other disorders.
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ and tau...
Alzheimer Disease l: Introduction01:29

Alzheimer Disease l: Introduction

Alzheimer disease is a chronic, progressive, and irreversible neurodegenerative disorder and the most common cause of dementia in older adults. It leads to gradual neuronal loss, causing cognitive decline, behavioral changes, and loss of functional independence.Risk Factors and EtiologyThe disease is multifactorial. Age is the strongest risk factor, with prevalence doubling every 5 years after age 65. Genetic factors include mutations in genes such as APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2, which are associated...
Dementia l: Introduction01:22

Dementia l: Introduction

Dementia is an acquired, progressive syndrome characterized by a decline in multiple cognitive domains severe enough to impair daily functioning and reduce independence. Although memory loss is a central feature, the diagnosis requires additional deficits involving language, executive function, visuospatial skills, judgment, calculation, or abstract reasoning. These cognitive impairments reflect underlying neurodegenerative or vascular processes that gradually disrupt neuronal networks...