Assessing the Diagnostic Utility of FDG-PET and HPLC for Detecting Microglia Activation and Inflammation in...

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Medical Imaging
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Early and accurate Alzheimer's disease (AD) diagnosis is crucial for managing this progressive neurodegenerative disorder.
• Neuroinflammation and microglia activation are key pathological hallmarks of AD.
• Existing diagnostic methods have limitations in comprehensively assessing these pathological changes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the diagnostic utility of Fluorodeoxyglucose-Positron Emission Tomography (FDG-PET) and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) in detecting neuroinflammation and microglia activation in AD.
• To assess the sensitivity, specificity, and complementary roles of these techniques in AD diagnosis.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature review of studies published between January 2021 and December 2023 from Scopus, Science Direct, and PubMed databases.
• Analysis of 31 selected articles focusing on FDG-PET and HPLC data related to inflammation, microglia activation, and metabolite regulation in AD.
• Examination of diagnostic performance metrics including sensitivity and specificity.

Main Results:

• FDG-PET uniquely classifies cognitive stages in AD by assessing glucose metabolism, while HPLC provides insights into metabolic profile changes.
• Amyloid PET shows higher sensitivity, but FDG-PET offers functional information.
• HPLC is invasive and costly but reveals metabolic alterations; combined use offers complementary diagnostic information.

Conclusions:

• FDG-PET and HPLC provide complementary insights into AD pathophysiology, aiding in the detection of neuroinflammation and microglia activation.
• Combined application of FDG-PET and HPLC holds promise for a comprehensive diagnostic approach to AD.
• Further validation is required to overcome technical challenges and support widespread adoption for improved early AD detection and monitoring.