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Neuroimaging advances regarding subjective cognitive decline in preclinical Alzheimer's disease
Wang X, Huang W, Su L, Xing Y, Jessen F, Sun Y, Shu N, Han Y.. Molecular neurodegeneration, 2020-09-22
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is regarded as the first clinical manifestation in the Alzheimer's disease (AD) continuum. Investigating populations with SCD is important for understanding the early pathological mechanisms of AD and identifying SCD-related biomarkers, which are critical for the early detection of AD. With the advent of advanced neuroimaging techniques, such as positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), accumulating evidence has revealed structural and functional brain alterations related to the symptoms of SCD. In this review, we summarize the main imaging features and key findings regarding SCD related to AD, from local and regional data to connectivity-based imaging measures, with the aim of delineating a multimodal imaging signature of SCD due to AD. Additionally, the interaction of SCD with other risk factors for dementia due to AD, such as age and the Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) ɛ4 status, has also been described. Finally, the possible explanations for the inconsistent and heterogeneous neuroimaging findings observed in individuals with SCD are discussed, along with future directions. Overall, the literature reveals a preferential vulnerability of AD signature regions in SCD in the context of AD, supporting the notion that individuals with SCD share a similar pattern of brain alterations with patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia due to AD. We conclude that these neuroimaging techniques, particularly multimodal neuroimaging techniques, have great potential for identifying the underlying pathological alterations associated with SCD. More longitudinal studies with larger sample sizes combined with more advanced imaging modeling approaches such as artificial intelligence are still warranted to establish their clinical utility.
Key findings
- With the advent of advanced neuroimaging techniques, such as positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), accumulating evidence has revealed structural and functional brain alterations related to the symptoms of SCD.
- Overall, the literature reveals a preferential vulnerability of AD signature regions in SCD in the context of AD, supporting the notion that individuals with SCD share a similar pattern of brain alterations with patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia due to AD.
- We conclude that these neuroimaging techniques, particularly multimodal neuroimaging techniques, have great potential for identifying the underlying pathological alterations associated with SCD.
Why it matters
This review summarizes neuroimaging findings in subjective cognitive decline, reporting structural and functional brain alterations and a preferential vulnerability of Alzheimer's disease signature regions. It describes imaging features associated with early Alzheimer's disease but does not test any treatment, cure, or prevention.
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Study details
- Study designlongitudinal study
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 62/100
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 (Molecular neurodegeneration) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Molecular Neurodegeneration: journal h-index 164 (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 | 2 / 5 | 2020 — 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 | 5 / 7 | Cited 264 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 33.0 citations a year over 8 year(s) since 2020 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 20.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 5 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 138 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Ying Han: h-index 55 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Cambridge: institution h-index 1,973 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 11 institution(s) in 3 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 32962744) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 62 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1186/s13024-020-00395-3
- PubMed: 32962744
- Original source →
- Free full text: Molecular Neurodegeneration →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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 names 8 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Wang, X., Huang, W., Su, L., Xing, Y., Jessen, F., Sun, Y., et al. (2020). Neuroimaging advances regarding subjective cognitive decline in preclinical Alzheimer's disease. Molecular neurodegeneration. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13024-020-00395-3
Vancouver
Wang X, Huang W, Su L, Xing Y, Jessen F, Sun Y, et al. Neuroimaging advances regarding subjective cognitive decline in preclinical Alzheimer's disease. Molecular neurodegeneration. 2020. doi:10.1186/s13024-020-00395-3. PMID: 32962744.
BibTeX
@article{wang2020-32962744,
author = {Wang, X. and Huang, W. and Su, L. and Xing, Y. and Jessen, F. and Sun, Y. and Shu, N. and Han, Y.},
title = {{Neuroimaging advances regarding subjective cognitive decline in preclinical Alzheimer's disease}},
journal = {Molecular neurodegeneration},
year = {2020},
doi = {10.1186/s13024-020-00395-3},
pmid = {32962744},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s13024-020-00395-3}
}
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