title: Cortical florbetapir-PET amyloid load in prodromal Alzheimer's disease patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Florbetapir (AV-45) has been shown to be a reliable tool to assess amyloid load in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) at demential stages. Longitudinal studies also suggest that AV-45 has the ability to bind amyloid in the early stages of AD. In this study, we investigated AV-45 binding and its relation with cognitive performance in a group of patients at the prodromal stage of Alzheimer's disease, recruited according to strict inclusion criteria.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited patients at the prodromal stage of AD and matched control subjects. AV-45 binding was assessed using an innovative extraction method allowing quantifying uptake in the cortex only. AV-45 uptake was compared between groups in the precuneus, posterior cingulate, anterior cingulate, and orbito-frontal regions. Correlations between AV-45 uptake and cognitive performance were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-two patients and 17 matched control subjects were included in the study. We report a significant increase of cortical AV-45 uptake in the patients compared to the control subjects in all regions of interest. Specific correlations were found within the patient group between mean global amyloid cortical load and cognitive performance in three different memory tests.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that at the prodromal stage of AD, memory decline is linked to an increase of cortical β-amyloid load.
authors.affiliation: INSERM, Imagerie Cérébrale et Handicaps Neurologiques UMR 825, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse, Place Dr Baylac, Pavillon Baudot, Toulouse CEDEX 9 31059, France. laure.saint-aubert@inserm.fr.
authors.forename: Laure
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Saint-Aubert
authors.forename: Emmanuel J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Barbeau
authors.forename: Patrice
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Péran
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nemmi
authors.forename: Celine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vervueren
authors.forename: Helene
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mirabel
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Payoux
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hitzel
authors.forename: Fabrice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bonneville
authors.forename: Raluca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gramada
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tafani
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vincent
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Puel
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dechaumont
authors.forename: Francois
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chollet
authors.forename: Jeremie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pariente