Statistical modeling of longitudinal PiB retention

Introduction: Amyloid (Aβ) deposition is a pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) that begins many years before clinical symptoms are evident. PET amyloid-imaging consistently shows substantial levels of amyloid deposition in AD and many subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). These studies also indicate that the earliest amyloid accumulation occurs in frontal and precuneus cortices, and that it is found in 25–40% of cognitively unimpaired elders (CN). This is consistent with findings in post-mortem studies. Here, we applied statistical modeling to PiB retention data collected from serial scans performed over several years, to understand better the early and sustained amyloid deposition that occurs in human brain.