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FDG-PET changes in brain glucose metabolism from normal cognition to pathologically verified Alzheimer's disease
Mosconi L, Mistur R, Switalski R, Tsui WH, Glodzik L, Li Y, Pirraglia E, De Santi S et al.. European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging, 2009-01-14
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Purpose We report the first clinicopathological series of longitudinal FDG-PET scans in post-mortem (PM) verified cognitively normal elderly (NL) followed to the onset of Alzheimer's-type dementia (DAT), and in patients with mild DAT with progressive cognitive deterioration. Methods Four NL subjects and three patients with mild DAT received longitudinal clinical, neuropsychological and dynamic FDG-PET examinations with arterial input functions. NL subjects were followed for 13 +/- 5 years, received FDG-PET examinations over 7 +/- 2 years, and autopsy 6 +/- 3 years after the last FDG-PET. Two NL declined to mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and two developed probable DAT before death. DAT patients were followed for 9 +/- 3 years, received FDG-PET examinations over 3 +/- 2 years, and autopsy 7 +/- 1 years after the last FDG-PET. Two DAT patients progressed to moderate-to-severe dementia and one developed vascular dementia. Results The two NL subjects who declined to DAT received a PM diagnosis of definite AD. Their FDG-PET scans indicated a progression of deficits in the cerebral metabolic rate for glucose (CMRglc) from the hippocampus to the parietotemporal and posterior cingulate cortices. One DAT patient showed AD with diffuse Lewy body disease (LBD) at PM, and her last in vivo PET was indicative of possible LBD for the presence of occipital as well as parietotemporal hypometabolism. Conclusion Progressive CMRglc reductions on FDG-PET occur years in advance of clinical DAT symptoms in patients with pathologically verified disease. The FDG-PET profiles in life were consistent with the PM diagnosis.
Key findings
- Results The two NL subjects who declined to DAT received a PM diagnosis of definite AD.
Why it matters
This small study followed cognitively normal older adults and patients with mild dementia using FDG-PET scans and later brain autopsy, finding that declining glucose metabolism spread from the hippocampus to other brain regions before Alzheimer's dementia appeared. It is a small longitudinal study about brain changes over time, not a treatment or cure.
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Study details
- Study designlongitudinal study
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 59/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a longitudinal study following the same people over time. Scored zero for 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 (European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging: journal h-index 224 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A longitudinal study following the same people over time |
| 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 | 1 / 5 | 2009 — within 20 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 | 6 / 7 | Cited 484 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 25.5 citations a year over 19 year(s) since 2009 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 16.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 19 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 76 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Mony J. de Leon: h-index 127 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | New York University: institution h-index 1,612 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 19142633) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 59 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
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
Mosconi, L., Mistur, R., Switalski, R., Tsui, W. H., Glodzik, L., Li, Y., et al. (2009). FDG-PET changes in brain glucose metabolism from normal cognition to pathologically verified Alzheimer's disease. European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-008-1039-z
Vancouver
Mosconi L, Mistur R, Switalski R, Tsui WH, Glodzik L, Li Y, et al. FDG-PET changes in brain glucose metabolism from normal cognition to pathologically verified Alzheimer's disease. European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging. 2009. doi:10.1007/s00259-008-1039-z. PMID: 19142633.
BibTeX
@article{mosconi2009-19142633,
author = {Mosconi, L. and Mistur, R. and Switalski, R. and Tsui, W. H. and Glodzik, L. and Li, Y. and Pirraglia, E. and De Santi, S. and others},
title = {{FDG-PET changes in brain glucose metabolism from normal cognition to pathologically verified Alzheimer's disease}},
journal = {European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging},
year = {2009},
doi = {10.1007/s00259-008-1039-z},
pmid = {19142633},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-008-1039-z}
}
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