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ß-Amyloid PET study in patients with Alzheimer’s Disease


What is the purpose of the PET study?

To improve diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease with a new brain imaging method called positron emission tomography (PET). This method focuses on a microscopic finding seen in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease known as beta-amyloid plaques. These plaques are protein deposits found between nerve cells in the brain and may accumulate before people develop the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. It may be possible to visualize these plaques with PET scanning using a special tracer. This tracer attaches to beta-amyloid plaques in the brain and show up as bright spots on the PET image. If successful, this study would have implications for investigating treatment interventions that could prevent and/or slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Many of those new treatments that are coming out in the next five years will be directed at decreasing the formation of beta-amyloid plaques, or at breaking these plaques down after they have accumulated. We may be able to look directly at the targets in the brain at which these treatments are aimed. We may also be able to detect people with mild cognitive impairment who would develop Alzheimer’s disease in the future and start those treatment interventions at an earlier stage, possibly preventing the development of the disease.


 

What is the PET study’s course of events?

After intravenous injection of the tracer, we will do a PET scan during which you will be lying in the scanner for 90 minutes. During this time, 10 venous blood samples of 10 mL each will be drawn from a vein in your arm. During the PET study, your caregiver can be present. Patients will take part in 2 PET studies using the beta-amyloid tracer [11C]SB-13. An honorarium for study participation will be provided.


 

Who can be in the PET study?

Patients eligible for this study must be competent to provide informed consent to participate.  Additionally, the following criteria must be met to arrange a screening interview to determine enrolment eligibility:

  • 18 years of age or older, Mini Mental Status Exam score ≤ 26
  • Diagnosis of dementia of the Alzheimer’s type (DSM-IV & NINCDS-ADRDA)
  • No psychiatric disorders that cannot be attributed to Alzheimer’s dementia
  • No serious medical or neurological illness or significant head injury
  • No lifetime history of alcohol or substance dependence
  • No alcohol or substance abuse in the past 6 months.

 

Who do I call to learn more?

To find out more…Or to refer a patient, please contact: Ana Petrovic, Research Assistant, at (416) 785-2500 ext. 2264 or e-mail . Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care offers participants other treatment options and services.