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Microglial activation and amyloid deposition in mild cognitive impairment: a PET study
Okello A, Edison P, Archer HA, Turkheimer FE, Kennedy J, Bullock R, Walker Z, Kennedy A et al.. Neurology, 2009-01-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Background Activated microglia may play a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease (AD) as they cluster around beta-amyloid (Abeta) plaques. They are, therefore, a potential therapeutic target in both AD and its prodrome amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Objective To characterize in vivo with (11)C-(R)-PK11195 and (11)C-PIB PET the distribution of microglial activation and amyloid deposition in patients with amnestic MCI.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Okello, A., Edison, P., Archer, H. A., Turkheimer, F. E., Kennedy, J., Bullock, R., et al. (2009). Microglial activation and amyloid deposition in mild cognitive impairment: a PET study. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/01.wnl.0000338622.27876.0d
Vancouver
Okello A, Edison P, Archer HA, Turkheimer FE, Kennedy J, Bullock R, et al. Microglial activation and amyloid deposition in mild cognitive impairment: a PET study. Neurology. 2009. doi:10.1212/01.wnl.0000338622.27876.0d. PMID: 19122031.
BibTeX
@article{okello2009-19122031,
author = {Okello, A. and Edison, P. and Archer, H. A. and Turkheimer, F. E. and Kennedy, J. and Bullock, R. and Walker, Z. and Kennedy, A. and others},
title = {{Microglial activation and amyloid deposition in mild cognitive impairment: a PET study}},
journal = {Neurology},
year = {2009},
doi = {10.1212/01.wnl.0000338622.27876.0d},
pmid = {19122031},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/01.wnl.0000338622.27876.0d}
}
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.
Key findings
- They are, therefore, a potential therapeutic target in both AD and its prodrome amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
- Objective To characterize in vivo with (11)C-(R)-PK11195 and (11)C-PIB PET the distribution of microglial activation and amyloid deposition in patients with amnestic MCI.
- Methods Fourteen subjects with MCI had (11)C-(R)-PK11195 and (11)C-PIB PET with psychometric tests.
- Results Seven out of 14 (50%) patients with MCI had increased cortical (11)C-PIB retention (p < 0.001) while 5 out of 13 (38%) subjects with MCI showed increased (11)C-(R)-PK11195 uptake.
Why it matters
In 14 people with mild cognitive impairment, half showed increased amyloid retention on PET, and microglial activation was measured as a possible therapeutic target. This was a small imaging study, so it does not show that targeting microglia actually treats or prevents Alzheimer's disease.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
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 (Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Neurology: journal h-index 525 (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 | 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 369 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 19.4 citations a year over 19 year(s) since 2009 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 15.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 4 / 6 | Cited by 32 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 36 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author David James Brooks: h-index 158 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University College London: institution h-index 2,029 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 19122031) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 53 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000338622.27876.0d
- PubMed: 19122031
- Original source →
- Free full text: PubMed Central →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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