Regional patterns of 18F-florbetaben uptake in presenilin 1 mutation carriers

Abstract

Individuals with autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease (ADAD) present amyloid deposits before symptoms onset. We aimed to investigate efficacy and safety of 18F-florbetaben (FBB) for assessing amyloid deposition in ADAD. We acquired FBB positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of 25 individuals from PSEN1 families (NCT02362880). We studied individual uptake patterns, group differences, and correlation with estimated years to symptoms onset, as well as adverse events. We found that asymptomatic carriers (N = 14) showed increased FBB uptake across the cerebral cortex and in the caudate. FBB accumulation appeared more than 15 years before onset in the precuneus and bankssts, among other regions, overlapping regions showing increased cortical thickness in the same subjects. FBB uptake correlated with estimated years to symptoms onset in several areas, especially the rostral anterior cingulate. Symptomatic carriers (N = 7) had an elevated FBB uptake plateau. No adverse events were reported. Overall, we found progressive FBB uptake in ADAD starting 2 decades before symptoms. The rostral anterior cingulate is a candidate area to track Aβ deposition in addition to the precuneus.