EU NCI-MCI homepage
The homepage is hosted by The Neurobiology Research Unit (NRU) of Rigshospitalet and at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Copenhagen .Neuroreceptor changes in mild cognitive impairment
Objectives
The objectives are to be able to pose an early diagnosis and a prognosis
for the development of Alzheimer's disease. Mapping of brain receptor in
normal aged individuals, in patients with mild cognitive impairment, and
in Alzheimer's disease will be compared to neuropsychological and psychiatric
measures to establish the relationship between these measures.
Brief description
The early phase of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is manifested in a condition
termed 'mild cognitive impairment' (MCI). MCI has recently become the subject
of intensive investigations because earlier diagnosis of AD may allow for
earlier intervention by, e.g., drug therapy. Currently, it is impossible
to predict who of the patients with MCI later will convert into patients
with AD.
This project involves investigations of normal elderly individuals as well as patients from memory clinic populations with MCI and AD. All subjects will in the single centres undergo the same complete neurological, neuropsychological and psychiatric evaluation. Blood testing and structural brain imaging with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will also be carried out. Positron emission tomography (PET) or single photon emission tomography (SPECT) will be used for mapping various brain neuroreceptor systems. Each centre has selected their individual receptor tracer ligand of probable relevance for MCI; these include five different markers. In some centres, previously validated methods such as cerebral glucose metabolism and cerebral blood flow measurements will be included. These measures will be compared to receptor distribution images. Since the collaboration is based upon a common protocol defining neuropsychological, neuropsychiatric and imaging criteria to be used by the individual partners a comparison between the mapping of the different receptor systems in the different centres is possible. Within the concerted action structure, a common platform for data exchange and a database for collection of relevant data will be constructed.
The final intention is to relate the findings from functional imaging with the clinical measures as well as the findings from functional imaging with progression rates and over-all prognosis. On the basis of these results, we will settle the diagnostic value of neuroreceptor imaging tools for an early diagnosis in the elderly patient with memory and/or emotional symptoms. Hopefully, we will also be able to point at new potential areas for drug development.
Keywords
Alzheimers disease, mild cognitive impairment, neuroreceptors, positron
emission tomography, neuropsychology, disease progression, magnetic resonance
imaging, brain imaging.
Co-ordinator:
Professor Gitte Moos Knudsen
Neurobiology Research Unit 9201
University Hospital, Rigshospitalet
9 Blegdamsvej
DK-2100 Copenhagen
Denmark
E-mail: gitte@nru.dk
Phone: +45 3545 6720
Fax: +45 3545 6713