Medical Physics Seminar – Monday, January 25, 2021
White Matter Microstructure in Down syndrome: Insights for Aging and Cognitive Decline
Austin Bazydlo (student of Dr. Andrew Alexander)
Nearly all persons with Down Syndrome (DS) will show pathology of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) in their 40s. Earlier research has shown that episodic memory is among the first cognitive domains to decline in the progression toward AD tin his population. Using diffusion tensor imaging, positron emission tomography, and cognitive measures, we explored the relationship between white matter microstructure with amyloid burden and cognitive decline.
Improving quantification and characterization of Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers in Down syndrome using PET imaging
Matthew Zammit (student of Dr. Bradley Christian)
Adults with Down syndrome are at high risk to develop Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In order to stage the Down syndrome population for AD-related clinical trials, a full characterization of the natural history of AD biomarker progression is warranted. In this study, PiB PET was utilized to detect the earliest stages of Aβ accumulation, while AV-1451 PET was used to characterize the regional staging of neurofibrillary tau. Cases of mild cognitive impairment and AD were then distinguished from cognitively stable Down syndrome using an individualized FDG metabolic brain network analysis.