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Alzheimer-Like Pattern of Hypometabolism Emerges with Elevated Amyloid-β Burden in Down Syndrome
Lao PJ, Handen BL, Betthauser TJ, Mihaila I, Hartley SL, Cohen AD, Tudorascu DL, Bulova PD et al.. Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD, 2018-01-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Background The Down syndrome (DS) population is genetically predisposed to amyloid-β protein precursor overproduction and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Objective The temporal ordering and spatial association between amyloid-β, glucose metabolism, and gray matter (GM) volume in the DS population can provide insight into those associations in the more common sporadic AD. Methods Twenty-four adults (13 male, 11 female; 39±7 years) with DS underwent [11C]PiB, [18F]FDG, and volumetric MRI scans. Voxel-wise associations between PiB SUVR, FDG SUVR, and GM volume were investigated, with and without individual adjustments for variables of interest. Results Positive associations of PiB and age were widespread throughout the neocortex and striatum. Negative associations of FDG and age (frontal, parietal, and temporal cortex) and of GM volume and age (frontal and insular cortex) were observed. PiB and FDG were negatively associated in parietal cortex, after adjustment for GM volume. Conclusions In adults with DS, early amyloid-β accumulation in the striatum is divergent from sporadic AD; however, despite the early striatal amyloid-β, glucose hypometabolism was confined to the typical AD-associated regions, which occurs similarly in autosomal dominant AD. Importantly, the glucose hypometabolism was not explained solely by increased partial volume effect due to GM volume reductions.
Key findings
- Results Positive associations of PiB and age were widespread throughout the neocortex and striatum.
Why it matters
In 24 adults with Down syndrome, this imaging study found that amyloid buildup in the striatum happened earlier than in typical Alzheimer's disease, but reduced glucose metabolism appeared in the brain regions usually affected in Alzheimer's. This suggests the sequence of brain changes in Down syndrome partly differs from sporadic Alzheimer's disease, though the study was small.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 40/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Journal of Alzheimer s Disease: journal h-index 218 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2018 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 3 / 7 | Cited 29 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.9 citations a year over 10 year(s) since 2018 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 2.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 7 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Bradley T. Christian: h-index 50 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Massachusetts General Hospital: institution h-index 2,057 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | PubMed indexes it as a multicentre study |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 29254096) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 40 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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APA 7th
Lao, P. J., Handen, B. L., Betthauser, T. J., Mihaila, I., Hartley, S. L., Cohen, A. D., et al. (2018). Alzheimer-Like Pattern of Hypometabolism Emerges with Elevated Amyloid-β Burden in Down Syndrome. Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD. https://doi.org/10.3233/jad-170720
Vancouver
Lao PJ, Handen BL, Betthauser TJ, Mihaila I, Hartley SL, Cohen AD, et al. Alzheimer-Like Pattern of Hypometabolism Emerges with Elevated Amyloid-β Burden in Down Syndrome. Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD. 2018. doi:10.3233/jad-170720. PMID: 29254096.
BibTeX
@article{lao2018-29254096,
author = {Lao, P. J. and Handen, B. L. and Betthauser, T. J. and Mihaila, I. and Hartley, S. L. and Cohen, A. D. and Tudorascu, D. L. and Bulova, P. D. and others},
title = {{Alzheimer-Like Pattern of Hypometabolism Emerges with Elevated Amyloid-β Burden in Down Syndrome}},
journal = {Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD},
year = {2018},
doi = {10.3233/jad-170720},
pmid = {29254096},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3233/jad-170720}
}
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