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Amyloid PET predicts longitudinal functional and cognitive trajectories in a heterogeneous cohort
Younes K, Johns E, Young CB, Kennedy G, Mukherjee S, Vossler HA, Winer J, Cody K et al.. Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association, 2025-03-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Introduction Amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) is increasingly available for diagnosis of Alzheimer`s disease (AD); however, its practical implications in heterogenous cohorts are debated. Methods Amyloid PET from 890 National Alzheimer`s Coordinating Center participants with up to 10 years post-PET follow up was analyzed. Cox proportional hazards and linear mixed models were used to investigate amyloid burden prediction of etiology and prospective functional status and cognitive decline. Results Amyloid positivity was associated with progression from unimpaired to mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Amyloid burden in the unimpaired group was associated with lower initial memory levels and faster decline in memory, language, and global cognition. In the Impaired group, amyloid was associated with lower initial levels and faster decline for memory, language, executive function, and global cognition. Discussion Amyloid burden is an important prognostic marker in a clinically heterogeneous cohort. Future work is needed to establish the proportion of decline driven by AD versus non-AD processes in the context of mixed pathology. Highlights Our findings highlight the importance of amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) in heterogenous cohorts, including diverse demographics, clinical syndromes, and underlying etiologies. The results also provide evidence that higher amyloid levels were linked to functional progression from unimpaired cognition to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and from MCI to dementia. In cognitively unimpaired individuals, higher amyloid burden was associated with poorer memory at baseline and subsequent declines in memory, language, and global cognition. Among individuals with cognitive impairment, amyloid burden was associated with worse initial memory, language, executive function, and global cognition, and faster declines over time.
Key findings
- Results Amyloid positivity was associated with progression from unimpaired to mild cognitive impairment and dementia.
- Amyloid burden in the unimpaired group was associated with lower initial memory levels and faster decline in memory, language, and global cognition.
- In the Impaired group, amyloid was associated with lower initial levels and faster decline for memory, language, executive function, and global cognition.
- Future work is needed to establish the proportion of decline driven by AD versus non-AD processes in the context of mixed pathology.
- Highlights Our findings highlight the importance of amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) in heterogenous cohorts, including diverse demographics, clinical syndromes, and underlying etiologies.
Why it matters
In a heterogeneous cohort, amyloid PET positivity predicted progression from unimpaired to mild cognitive impairment and dementia and was linked to faster decline in memory, language, and other functions. This supports amyloid PET as a prognostic marker, but does not show any treatment, cure, or prevention.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 53/100
Published in a leading specialty 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 | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Alzheimer s & Dementia: journal h-index 228 (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 | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 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 16 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 5.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 10.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 16 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Elizabeth C. Mormino: h-index 72 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | University of Washington: institution h-index 3,540 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 17 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40145384) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 53 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
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Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Younes, K., Johns, E., Young, C. B., Kennedy, G., Mukherjee, S., Vossler, H. A., et al. (2025). Amyloid PET predicts longitudinal functional and cognitive trajectories in a heterogeneous cohort. Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.70075
Vancouver
Younes K, Johns E, Young CB, Kennedy G, Mukherjee S, Vossler HA, et al. Amyloid PET predicts longitudinal functional and cognitive trajectories in a heterogeneous cohort. Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association. 2025. doi:10.1002/alz.70075. PMID: 40145384.
BibTeX
@article{younes2025-40145384,
author = {Younes, K. and Johns, E. and Young, C. B. and Kennedy, G. and Mukherjee, S. and Vossler, H. A. and Winer, J. and Cody, K. and others},
title = {{Amyloid PET predicts longitudinal functional and cognitive trajectories in a heterogeneous cohort}},
journal = {Alzheimer's \& dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1002/alz.70075},
pmid = {40145384},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.70075}
}
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