Alzheimer's Imaging Consortium

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Medical Imaging
• Public Health

Background:

• Africa is projected to have a high prevalence of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) in the coming decades.
• Neuroimaging tools like MRI and PET are crucial for ADRD characterization but are underutilized in Africa.
• There's a critical need to develop neuroimaging capacity for dementia research in diverse African populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight global gaps in dementia imaging research.
• To identify barriers to neuroimaging use in Africa.
• To propose opportunities for enabling dementia neuroimaging research across Africa.

Main Methods:

• Reviewed global ADRD studies using MRI or PET from literature and clinical trial databases.
• Estimated study sites, participant numbers, and capacity.
• Assessed Africa's imaging infrastructure, personnel needs, and associated costs.

Main Results:

• ADRD neuroimaging research is concentrated in only 49 countries globally, with Africa having the fewest study sites and participants.
• Only four African countries have conducted MRI-based ADRD research; none have reported PET research.
• High costs of infrastructure, radiotracers, and a shortage of skilled personnel are major barriers, requiring an estimated $29.3 billion investment.

Conclusions:

• Increased investment in cost-effective imaging infrastructure is crucial.
• Optimizing existing clinical imaging systems for advanced research is recommended.
• Collaborative training programs and establishing regional/global partnerships can enhance dementia imaging capacity in Africa.