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Updated: Jan 29, 2026
09:17
Using Retinal Imaging to Study Dementia
Published on: November 6, 2017
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Dementia spectrum disorders: lessons learnt from decades with PET research
Heather Wilson1, Gennaro Pagano1, Marios Politis2
1Neurodegeneration Imaging Group, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, 125 Coldharbour Lane, Camberwell, London, SE5 9NU, UK.
Journal of Neural Transmission (Vienna, Austria : 1996)
|February 15, 2019
Summary
Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging aids in early dementia diagnosis and monitoring. This technique visualizes brain changes, helping to differentiate dementia types and identify potential therapeutic targets.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Dementia diagnosis and treatment remain challenging due to complex pathophysiology.
- Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging offers in vivo insights into neurodegenerative processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the application of PET imaging in common dementia disorders.
- To highlight PET's role in early detection, disease monitoring, and differential diagnosis.
Main Methods:
- Focus on PET tracers targeting proteinopathies (amyloid, tau, α-synuclein), metabolism, and neuroinflammation.
- Review of studies demonstrating PET's ability to detect early abnormalities and predict symptom onset.
Main Results:
- PET imaging reveals distinct abnormalities in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinsonism dementias, and frontotemporal lobe degeneration.
- Early detection of neurodegenerative changes and disease progression monitoring are possible with PET.
Conclusions:
- PET imaging shows promise for early dementia diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and monitoring disease progression.
- Advances in PET tracers and imaging offer potential therapeutic targets, but clinical implementation requires further validation.
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