Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association
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Although amyloid imaging with PiB-PET ([C-11]Pittsburgh Compound-B positron emission tomography), and now with F-18-labeled tracers, has produced remarkably consistent qualitative findings across a large number of centers, there has been considerable variability in the exact numbers reported as quantitative outcome measures of tracer retention. In some cases this is as trivial as the choice of units, in some cases it is scanner dependent, and of course, different tracers yield different numbers. Our working group was formed to standardize quantitative amyloid imaging measures by scaling the outcome of each particular analysis method or tracer to a 0 to 100 scale, anchored by young controls (≤ 45 years) and typical Alzheimer's disease patients. The units of this scale have been named "Centiloids." Basically, we describe a "standard" method of analyzing PiB PET data and then a method for scaling any "nonstandard" method of PiB PET analysis (or any other tracer) to the Centiloid scale.
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Rare TREM2 variants are significant risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD). ⋯ We find p.R47H is a risk factor for AD, but not frontotemporal dementia or prion disease.
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Florbetapir (18F) for brain amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) imaging has been recently approved in Europe to estimate β-amyloid neuritic plaque density in the brain when the subject is still alive. Such density is one of the key issues for the definitive diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) at autopsy. This capability of florbetapir (18F) is regarded as a significant improvement in the diagnostic procedures for adult patients with cognitive impairment who are being evaluated for AD and other causes of cognitive impairment. The current paper highlights the specific characteristics of the European marketing authorization of florbetapir (18F).
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The Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare of the Japanese national government announced a "Five-Year Plan for Promotion of Measures Against Dementia (Orange Plan)" in September 2012. This article described features of the Japanese dementia strategy in comparison with international dementia policies. ⋯ The national government should examine fundamental revisions in health, social-care services, and advocacy in joint initiatives with Alzheimer's Association Japan to improve the national dementia strategy.