title: Neuroimaging and genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease and addiction-related degenerative brain disorders.
abstract: Neuroimaging offers a powerful means to assess the trajectory of brain degeneration in a variety of disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here we describe how multi-modal imaging can be used to study the changing brain during the different stages of AD. We integrate findings from a range of studies using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), functional MRI (fMRI) and diffusion weighted imaging (DWI). Neuroimaging reveals how risk genes for degenerative disorders affect the brain, including several recently discovered genetic variants that may disrupt brain connectivity. We review some recent neuroimaging studies of genetic polymorphisms associated with increased risk for late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD). Some genetic variants that increase risk for drug addiction may overlap with those associated with degenerative brain disorders. These common associations offer new insight into mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration and addictive behaviors, and may offer new leads for treating them before severe and irreversible neurological symptoms appear.
authors.affiliation: Imaging Genetics Center, Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Florence F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Roussotte
authors.affiliation: Imaging Genetics Center, Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Madelaine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Daianu
authors.affiliation: Imaging Genetics Center, Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Neda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jahanshad
authors.affiliation: Imaging Genetics Center, Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Cassandra D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Leonardo
authors.affiliation: Imaging Genetics Center, Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.|Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Thompson
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D059906:Neuroimaging; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology