Course Description

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of chronic dementia among older individuals, affecting 60% to 80% of those diagnosed with a dementia disorder—estimated to be up to 4.5 million Americans at present and expected to increase almost 3-fold over the next 50 years due to increasing life expectancy. It is characterized by the insidious onset of memory impairment and cognitive disturbances, which lead to serious behavioral changes that preclude individuals from functioning in activities of daily living and ultimately results in their death. To date, clinicians and scientists have not developed a reliable diagnostic tool or cure for the disease. Treatments are symptom-based and short-lived. Having the capacity to diagnose AD early in its course through neuroimaging and to differentiate it from other forms of chronic and potentially more treatable dementias is important for maximizing the health and safety of the affected individual, as well as for long-term planning. Furthermore, pharmaceutical treatments are based on what is currently known about the pathophysiology of AD—something that has been studied in part through the use of various imaging techniques. Therefore, state-of-the-art neuroimaging through modalities, such as magnetic resonance imaging, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, positron emission tomography, and single photon emission computed tomography, may play important roles in improving the outcomes for patients with AD across the spectrum of this illness—from diagnosis to monitoring of treatment effects to the development of novel therapies.

Learning Objectives

After reading this article, the participant should be able to: